


The True Duet

by asdf1asdf1



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:08:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 210,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25315084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asdf1asdf1/pseuds/asdf1asdf1
Summary: *WARNING*P5R SpoilersWith the help of a taunting voice, Kasumi stops her younger sister Sumire from running into traffic, changing the course of their lives. Now both sisters must face their first year of high school together at Shujin academy. Feeling stunted in Kasumi's shadow, Sumire insists on doing this separately. Follow the girls as they change fate once more.
Comments: 22
Kudos: 71





	1. Beginning a new life

**Author's Note:**

> This is a crosspost from my story on fanfiction.net. If you would like to read my other works please go there, but it was recommended that I also post this here. At my time of writing this on July 17th, there are currently seven chapters which I will attempt to post within a day or two. As this is my first time posting on this website I'm sure there will be multiple errors, please feel free to point them out.  
> First off, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy the story.  
> Secondly, I'm sure this concept or a very similar one has already or will in the future be done, and potentially better, as it's not exactly very original. Nonetheless, I hope I've brought an interesting perspective to the tale at least and can throw in my own twists.  
> On that note, I realize that some of the scenes this chapter are essentially direct copies from the game(s). Depending on how far the story goes the intention is to have it deviate enough such that everything I write is essentially new while some off screen activity will remain the same.  
> In the 'rewrittten' scenes in this chapter/story I leave out quite a bit of dialogue. This is intentional as too not bore you with the same story you've experienced before.  
> On that note, please enjoy as the Yoshizawa sisters due their best to disrupt everything!  
> PS. This is the final warning, spoilers for P5R exclusive content start immediately.

The True Duet:

_Prologue – I said stop!_

_Monday March 7_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Sumire! Sumire stop!"

The shouted words made no difference. With single-minded determination, the red-haired girl continued to run forward. Weaving through people, head bent to the sidewalk, unseeing. Not rushing to a destination but running away.

Away from her failure.

Away from her sister.

If anything, the words sped her up. She didn't understand. Kasumi never understood. The pain of striving day in and day out to achieve a dream and to come up short. The encroaching reality that she'd never reach the national stage. That her role as the younger sister was to sit on the sidelines and watch as her sister brought home medals. She'd forever be second best.

"The light's red!"

Once again, Kasumi could only look on in horror as her younger sister continued to rush toward the street where traffic was beginning to flow. With the rush of people, and the water, the vehicles would not be able to stop.

"Stop… Please…"

The words would never reach her younger sister. Her beautiful imouto. The girl who somehow never realized how special she was.

' _Are you going to give up on her?'_

The words were an echo in the back of Kasumi's head. Taunting and pushing her forward. Anger swelling in her breast, Kasumi had had enough of this.

"I SAID STOP!"

Amidst the pouring rain, the words clearly cut through. The surprised citizens stopped and stared at the girl who had shouted. However, Kasuumi's eyes were locked onto one target. One target that had finally stopped running, a car skidded through the intersection mere feet beyond her, a spray of water coating her clothes.

Slowly, with small steps, Sumire turned around. With the light red and nothing to do, all of their fellow citizens stared at them and the empty space between.

"Why?" Sumire's voice was dull and lifeless, her head still locked on the ground. Her expression betrayed no sign that she even registered the blast of cold water or the car that passed right in front of her. "Why do you care about me? I'm nothing compared to you."

"That's not true!" Kasumi shouted right back. Leaping forward, she held Sumire's free hand to her chest. "How do you not see how amazing you are?"

"W-what are you saying all of a sudden?" Kasumi stutters, her gaze flitting around at all the onlookers.

"Exactly what it sounds like!" Kasumi kept shouting, the beginnings of frustrated tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. "You would have walked into traffic if not for me! I need you Sumire! Please… don't be like this…"

"Need… me…?" Sumire mumbles in repetition. For the first time, he eyes tracked up to Kasumi's face. The sight of her invincible, fearless sister near her breaking point shook Sumire to her core. "No… You don't need me…"

"I do!" Kasumi continued to yell, not letting the conversation die. "Where do you think I find the motivation to keep training every day!? To keep going when I want to do nothing else but collapse and cry under Hiraguchi's strict training? It's you Sumire! So please… just stop."

"You… You rely on me?"

"Yes! I… I tried to tell you. Every performance was for you… My rival."

"Rival?" Sumire echoed yet again, some life returning to her eyes. "You see me as your rival? You always win though? You're so bold when you perform… I can never match you…"

"Are you kidding!?" Kasumi replies with a dry chuckle. "It takes everything I have and then some to match the grace you display. Stop trying to be me when you're so much better."

"Better? No… I mean, umm, not yet!"

"That's the spirit!" Kasumi agreed, her usual smile and energy beginning to return. "Oh, the light's green! Let's hurry home so that we can eat!"

Pulling Sumire along by the hand, Kasumi led her sister along the road back to their house.

Allowing herself to get dragged, Sumire wondered if this truly was for the best. She sensed that something had changed between them during this conversation. Their relationship would never again return to the way it once was.

* * *

_Chapter 1 – Beginning a New Life_

_Wednesday March 9_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

_Guilty._

Ren Amamiya could do little more than look straight ahead as the word circled around his head. The sentence had been declared earlier this week, still causing visions from that fateful day to rise back up to prominence. Strangely though, the memories were foggy in his mind. The only part he could remember clearly was the end. The police arriving and the woman's words.

How her eyes shone with guilt and she spoke those words. _That teenager assaulted him!_ That single sentence had doomed him. Ren couldn't even remember the trial and sentencing portion. There had been no jury, only a judge that read the sentence and the witness statement.

From there, judgement. Parole for a year and an assault on his permanent record.

Internally, his feelings were a mess. Ren couldn't even begin to comprehend how his life had changed.

"So, umm, good news…"

His mother's voice was hesitant. A small trace of doubt crept into it now. As if she didn't quite believe his innocence. Continuing to sit stoically, Ren hid the pain and listened as she delivered the good news.

"A school is willing to take you. It's in Tokyo, I even found a guardian. I don't know him, but he agreed to take you in for some reason…"

_School._

That's right. Ren was entering his second year of high school. A fresh start. Away from the cautious uncertainty of his parents. Away from the whispering classmates and ex-friends who would no longer talk to him.

"That… Sounds nice."

"I confirmed it already."

"Oh…" The one soft word ended the conversation as his mother left the room. Leaning his head back, Ren closed his eyes and dosed as he waited for the last month here to slowly creep by.

After that… Tokyo.

* * *

_Friday March 25_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

"Again…" Sumire huffed, her breaths coming short as she lay on all fours against the hard mat. Her routine had been a disaster. So many mistakes.

All of it culminated into the final leap of the performance. The recent growth spurt, her new perspective, the pressure, all combined to a spectacular crash.

Supressing the tears, Sumire could feel her entire body shake from the exhaustion of the long practice, the exertion of the routine, and more than anything, the humiliation. No one said anything, but she could feel it. The judgement. Both Kasumi and Hiraguchi had been watching. Watching her disgrace.

Slowly, one light strand of red hair fell and fluttered before her eyes. It's mesmerizing texture the most distinctive part of her.

To Sumire though, it only represented another failure. She couldn't even do a bun right. How could she have expected herself to be able to perform on the level of Kasumi?

The footsteps sounded out. Tensing up, Sumire waited for the harsh words of coach Hiraguchi. To berate her for a performance that Sumire had surpassed when she was ten. It had been laughably bad.

"Can you give us some space Kasumi?"

"Umm, yes coach."

Surprised, Sumire blinked away the beginnings of tears, and looked up as Kasumi's departing footsteps were the only audible sounds.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"…No."

"…I see," Hiraguchi replied with a large sigh. "So, you learned the truth but are currently unable to handle it. I was worried this would happen."

Sumire shrunk further in within herself. The words were far too accurate. Every action she took, she now second guessed, searching for that grace which Kasumi had praised.

"I want you to take some time off practicing."

"What!?" Sumire screeched, jolting upright to stare horrified at her coach. "N-no… you can't do that… I'll fall too far behind."

"You think this is helping?" Hiraguchi smiled wryly, gesturing at the mat that Sumire had just embarrassed herself on. "You need to find yourself. Discover what it means not to be Kasumi's younger sister, but to be Sumire Yoshizawa.

"Keep working out, keep yourself in shape, but no routine work. At the beginning of May I'll start working with you again. I hope you'll have found your answer by then."

Confused and heartbroken, Sumire's gaze once again fell to the floor. So many emotions and words swirled in her mind, but only one came from her mouth. "…Yes coach."

"You're free to go, tell Kasumi the same thing."

With considerable effort, Sumire picked herself off the floor. Walking in a daze, Sumire found her way to the exit where Kasumi had left only a short while earlier. Stepping out of the practice area, Sumire instinctively headed for the showers. A post practice routine so ingrained that not even the shock of Hiraguchi's words could break it.

"Sumire! What happened?"

Stumbling to a halt, Sumire blinked as she realized she had forgotten about Kasumi who was waiting anxiously outside the practice room.

"…We're free to go…"

"Don't give me that!" Kasumi pled, grabbing Sumire's hand and preventing her from continuing toward the shower room.

"… I… I won't be joining you in practice after today."

"W-what!?" Kasumi shouted back. Releasing Sumire's hand in the confusion, the red-haired girl continued her slow trek to the showers.

Letting her go, an irate Kasumi turned back toward the practice room with a glare.

_How dare coach!_

Yelling at her internally, Kasumi, straight backed, marched back into the room where coach was still finishing cleaning up and putting the different props away.

"I thought you'd have something to say," Hiraguchi welcomed Kasumi with a chuckle. Continuing to work at her task, she didn't turn around to greet her.

"Why? You can't be nice to her on her birthday?" After all the anger and indignation for her sister's sake, it was the only thought that Kasumi felt was important enough to speak aloud.

Coach Hiraguchi had watched over the girls for years now. Pushing them further and farther than anyone else. She was a large proponent of the heights they had reached. She had sculpted them into nearly professional athletes.

Chortling silently, Hiraguchi answered, "It's your birthday too, isn't it? Must be, considering how you're twins. Anyway, you saw the routine," she finished cryptically.

"It was bad…" Kasumi admitted softly. She usually felt a myriad of emotions when watching Sumire perform. Happiness at seeing how amazing her younger sister is, jealousy at her unmatchable grace, determination that she'd make sure to outdo her, anger at how Sumire never seemed to understand Kasumi's emotions.

This time, none of them had come. Instead only a deep sorrow as she watched her sister's expression, twisted in agony, stumble gangly around like a child. It had nearly broken Kasumi to watch it.

"You want her to do that day after day? She'd never recover from the emotional blow, and I don't think you would either."

"…" Biting her lip, Kasumi felt powerless. She had always been there to help Sumire when she needed it. But how could she now?

"This is going to sound strange…" Coach Hiraguchi began cautiously. Dusting off her hands, she finally stopped working and walked over to Kasumi. Staring seriously at her, Hiraguchi spoke firmly. "Sumire is likely to ask for some strange things in the coming days. Requests that will change how the two of you have lived your lives until now. I hope that you accept them."

With a strange fear gripping her heart, Kasumi found herself unable to nod her acceptance. She knew she should, for Sumire. But she didn't want to. Kasumi had loved her life until recently. Everything had been perfect. Up until Sumire had ran away from her on that rainy street.

"Does that scare the fearless Kasumi?" Hiraguchi asked teasingly, raising one eye in challenge.

"…Yes." She answered honestly her voice hoarse. "Why is this happening coach? Why is everything changing? It was all perfect before…"

"You should know I can't answer that question," Hiraguchi answered, a slight disapproving tone to her voice. "And who was it perfect for? You and Sumire? Or just you?"

"I helped her all the time!" Kasumi raged back. The usually suppressed emotions, only exhibited in her performances bursting forth. "I spent countless hours aiding her so that we could do this together… So that she didn't give up."

"Did you really do it for her?" Hiraguchi queried sharply. "Truly, was that time spent for her sake, or did you do it so that you could hold her up as your rival in your mind? Simply a tool to help you propel yourself to higher heights?"

"N-no…" Kasumi stuttered, her world breaking before her. "I… I want to eat ice cream with her again."

Smiling softly, Hiraguchi laid a comforting hand on Kasumi's distressed shoulder. "I told Sumire that she would have to find herself. The same is true for you as well. You may share the same dream, the same passion, but you are still two separate people. You'll need to learn what it means to be Kasumi the girl, not just Kasumi the gymnastics prodigy. Got it?"

"I… I'm scared." Kasumi admitted weakly, expecting a harsh retort in reply.

"You'd be crazy if you weren't," Hiraguchi simply laughed in answer. "You're starting High school in a couple of weeks though. I'm sure you'll find something or someone there who'll help!"

Waving farewell, Hiraguchi excused herself from the practice area.

Taking a couple more seconds to compose herself, Kasumi plastered her traditional fearless smile on her face and walked with her typical bold strut out of the practice room.

Determination coursing through her, Kasumi turned the problem in front of her into simply another hurdle. She had cleared dozens on her way to perfection. This was simply one more in a long line.

* * *

_Sunday April 10_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Ren struggled not to yawn as he listened to the Principal drone on and on. The only interesting part of him was his neck. Did it even really exist, or was a massive head fused onto his body? Ren wasn't sure.

"One step out of bounds and you're gone, you understand, right?"

"…"

"Answer him!" Sojiro growled at Ren.

"Yes sir." The quiet answer appeared to appease the two men. Standing silently, if not awkwardly beside the principal was a woman Ren could only imagine would be his new homeroom teacher. The Principal hadn't shut up long enough for her to explain her presence yet. She looked as uncomfortable as Ren felt in this room. He could only hope that it was because of the Principal and not because she saw him as a hardened criminal.

"This is your homeroom teacher…" The principal continued moments later, confirming Ren's suspicions.

"My name is Sadayo Kawakami," She spoke politely, a tinge of fatigue underlying every word. "Here is your timetable and student ID for the upcoming semester. Come to the Faculty Office tomorrow morning and I'll guide you to the classroom. I'll let you know now, if you do something, I won't be able to protect you."

As she laid the paper on the desk for Ren to take, he instinctively reached out for it then paused at the strange sight. Two sheets of some pink advertisement were beneath the ID.

Quick as lightning, Ms. Kawakami snatched them back. Blinking, Ren convinced himself that he must have imagined the images of maids on them. Taking the timetable, Ren made sure to bow his head politely in thanks to his teacher.

It wouldn't do to make trouble right now. Ren forced himself to remember that his life was now one mistake away from completely falling apart. At least he currently had some resemblance of normalcy.

A new school. A fresh start. A place where people won't look at Ren and whisper under their breaths about things they don't know.

Head in a slightly better space, Ren and his guardian Sojiro bid the Principal and Ms. Kawakami goodbye. Even if the conversation itself had been a disaster of the two men treating him horribly, Ren had been mollified as his teacher's milder reaction. It had still been a warning in a way, but at least it sounded honest.

"I've wasted enough time today as is, let's go."

"Yes…" Replying softly to his guardian, Ren's eyes still flitted around back towards the school entrance. He had thought he'd seen someone. Wondering if it was simply another thing he'd imagined, Ren followed Sojiro to the cramped car.

* * *

_Sunday April 10_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Sumire retracted her head from where she was watching the two men walk away from the school entrance. "He looked so much more mature than me…"

"What was that?" Kasumi asked as they took their tour around their new school. The high school where they'd be starting tomorrow morning.

To Sumire, Kasumi's voice still had the same, positive energy that it always had, the energy that had guided the two of them through their entire lives; however, it now had a forced tone to it. A hesitancy that hurt Sumire every time she heard it.

_I did this._

Sumire had ruined their previous relationship. The previous ease between them. Yet, as she turned to face her sister, she didn't regret it. Sumire had found herself backed more and more into a corner, forced into her sister's shadow for too long. Hiraguchi was right, she did need to find out who she was as Sumire, not Kasumi's sister.

"Oh, I just saw a student leaving the school."

"Really?" Kasumi asked surprised, "coming to school the day before, they must be really studious!"

"He did look pretty mature," Sumire admits.

"Oh, I see how it is," Kasumi teases her eyes shimmering with a knowing twinkle. "Love at first glance, huh?"

"N-no! That's not it!" Sumire squeals awkwardly, her face heating up. Waving her hands in front of her, she tried to hold off her sister's advance.

"What are you two up to?" Shinichi Yoshizawa asked, stepping out of the washroom. "Sorry to slow you up."

"Nothing!" Sumire shouts before Kasumi can say anything to their dad.

"Really?" Shinichi asked, concerned for his daughter. "Your face is quite red, are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"Eep!"

"It's girl stuff dad," Kasumi involved him with a disapproving shake of her head.

"Ahh, I suppose you are reaching that age." Shinichi agreed with a sanctimonious nod of his head. "Although I doubt any boy could keep up with the two of you…"

"True!" Kasumi agreed, ignoring her still blushing sister. "Maybe I should pick one up to carry my bags. Wait, do I have to feed a boyfriend, or do they do that themselves?"

"Kasumi!" Sumire whined, begging her sister to stop.

"Haha!" Their father laughed, clearly not minding the topic. "If you pick up a good one, they can feed both of you!"

"Hmm, but I already have Sumire to cook for me! Guess I don't need one then? What about you Sumire?"

"N-no! I wasn't! I mean I don't!"

"Stop teasing your sister Kasumi," Shinichi sighs, used to the sisters' antics. "Let's finish up the tour so that we can go home. You know, it's a great privilege to be selected as honor's students."

Sharing a glance at each other, the thought of the boy from earlier was driven from Sumire's mind. The ability to postpone exams, take longer on homework, days off to practice. They were going to meet with the principal soon to outline exactly what they were receiving in exchange for elevating the school's reputation.

The rest of the tour passed by in a blur for Sumire. The layout, the classrooms, the cafeteria, they were all extremely standard. As first years they'd be on the third floor. Each year moving down until they graduated three long years from now. Then onto international events. At least, that was the plan. The International Federation of Gymnastics had an age restriction of 16. An age they'd both reach in just under a year now. Far before their graduation deadline.

"Here's the principal office!" Their dad informs them happily, gesturing to the largest office they'd seen in the school.

Shaking off the idle thoughts, Sumire followed the two of them into the room. As she looked at the larger than life man though, those thoughts kept ringing in her head, distracting her. Sumire felt like she could hear a giant clock ticking away in her head, each second not spent training, another one lost. She was running out of time.

While the average age for rhythmic gymnasts wasn't quite as low as the other events, 26 was considered old. That gave her only a couple of years to get into international form if she truly wanted to compete at the highest level.

Sumire could no longer afford to take time off 'finding herself'. She needed to perfect her moves, her routine. Developing more moves. That's why…

Steadying herself, Sumire prepared herself for the backlash that would result when she made her query. She expected the nauseating nerves from earlier to assault her once again. Instead, she felt a strange excitement. The beginning of a new adventure. One that she'd need to tackle on her own.

_If it works._

"Ah, Brown hair, and a lovely smile, this must be the Kasumi Yoshizawa that I've heard so much about!" The principal boomed as way of greeting.

Sumire tried to remember the name she'd been told earlier. Kobayakiwi? No… Kobayakoma? Closer…

"It's great to meet you principal Kobayakawa," Kasumi replied flawlessly, a picture-perfect bow.

_Of course she remembered his name._

Sumire could only watch on as the principal preened under the excellent greeting.

"Yes, yes, I can tell already that you'll make an excellent Shujin student." Turning his gaze, Sumire flinched under his cold eyes. Sumire couldn't help but feel like he was analyzing exactly how much worth she contained. How she could be exploited to maximum benefit to aid his position. "Which would make you Sumire."

"Umm… Yes sir," Bowing her head, Sumire could tell that the principal was less than impressed with her. Glancing through her red bangs she could barely see the Principal's expression.

"Well… I'm sure that there is a place in Shujin for you as well."

"Hey now," Shinichi broke in, clearly upset at the treatment his youngest daughter was receiving, "Sumire is also a great gymnast. She got this offer on her own merit."

"Dad…" Sumire protested quietly.

"Of course she did!" Kobayakawa enunciates clearly, arms spread wide. "I meant no disrespect. Just pointing out the rather startling difference in results in recent meets."

Sumire could only wince as the words rung true. Neither Kasumi nor her father spoke up either. Sumire wasn't sure what she expected. The principal was correct after all.

"Anyway," Kobayakawa continued, "as you requested Mr. Yoshizawa, I have assigned them to the same class, 1-B, taught by one of our top instructors here at Shujin academy."

"I'm glad to hear that," Shinichi nods happily, "I'm sure it will really help them to settle into the routine here if they're in…"

"Umm," Raising a hand awkwardly, Sumire flinched under the three combined stares. "Can I have… a different homeroom please?"

"Sumire…?" Kasumi questioned awkwardly, hurt and confusion in her gaze. Unable to meet it for long, Sumire turned back to the principal.

"Oh?" Shinichi scratched his head. "You wanted different homerooms? Experience high school on your own? I guess I should have asked before putting in the request."

"I-I see." Kobayakawa stuttered awkwardly. "It's a little late to change around homerooms, but I do happen to have one opening. However, the teacher there… has a bit of a strict reputation."

"T-that's fine." Sumire confirmed sealing her fate. Closing her eyes, she waited to hear the outcome from her decision.

"Hmm, well, highly irregular but…" A few keystrokes later, the printer in the corner of the room whirred as a new sheet emerged. Removing Sumire's old one, Kobayakawa replaced it with the fresh printout. "Here, you'll be in 1-D starting tomorrow. Mr. Ushimaru doesn't appreciate tardiness."

"Y-yes!" Sumire squeaked in reply.

_I did it!_

The one thought echoed around Sumire's head as exultation filled her. She'd done it. She had separated herself from Kasumi for the first time in her life. From that first time she'd been dragged to her sister's gymnastics class until now, they had done every single thing together. Shopping together, homework, training, class, even the few friends they'd found.

New confidence moving her feet, Sumire headed home for the day with her family.

* * *

_Sunday April 10_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Kasumi stared dead ahead as she ate her supper. The food was ash in her mouth as she chewed monotonously. Her family talked and laughed joyously around her, even Sumire joining in occasionally, a rarity these days; Kasumi could only continue to shovel down food.

Her eyes saw nothing, Kasumi left them unfocused to avoid staring at Sumire across from her. Her beloved sister, who'd abandoned her. Kasumi had been mentally preparing herself for weeks now. Waiting for these requests that Hiraguchi had said would come.

That hadn't been a request though, it was a betrayal. A slap in the face. Had the thought of sharing a homeroom truly been so repulsive? That she'd gladly take a teacher that they'd been warned against?

_She looks so happy._

With her eyes finally focusing on her sister, Kasumi had to admit that the faint smile touching her sister's lips had been a rarity so far this year. Ever since that growth spurt in December and January, Sumire rarely smiled.

Bowing her head, Kasumi found herself conflicted. Everything Hiraguchi had said was now coming true with a vengeance. Not only was she going to practice alone recently which was weird, her performances weren't improving. What had once appeared to be minor stumbling blocks had become major hurdles.

_It's all Sumire's fault!_

That one thought underpinned all of Kasumi's internal discourses. Seconds later though, the guilt came. Kasumi had been using Sumire as a stepping stone. A way to continue improving herself. Kasumi had been worried about Sumire's performance for selfish reasons. She hadn't truly cared about her sister, perhaps that's why everything had collapsed.

"Why did you do it?" Kasumi finally asked, unable to keep the question inside any longer. Lifting her gaze, she stared directly into her sister's surprised crimson irises. The beautiful colour made her stand out anywhere, why she hid them behind glasses, Kasumi didn't know.

"I… I just thought it would be, umm, fun, to have different classes for a change. Experience high school on our own."

Blinking, Kasumi was shocked at how level her sister's voice had been by the end. She had anticipated fear and guilt for ditching her.

"You know, I was surprised at first as well," their father cut in, tapping his pair of chopsticks against his chin. "Thinking about it though, Sumire's right. You're both entering high school after all. It will be good for you to experience life as an individual for once, after all, you won't always be together!"

_Won't always be together._

The words were a blow to Kasumi. It was something she'd never considered before. Even as the years continued to tick by, Kasumi had never appreciated the increasing stakes of the competition. She won. It was what she did. The other competitors never mattered. If she beat Sumire, she won, that's all there was too it.

"Yes," Sumire agreed, head bobbing quickly. "I'm sorry about ditching you, but… but this is something I need to do!"

"Huh?" Kasumi could only stare in shock at Sumire's resolute face. The tone and mannerisms of her last sentence had been completely different. She'd possessed a confidence Kasumi had never seen from her sister before.

"That's why… I also want to go to school on a different train. I'm sorry for not bringing it up earlier."

"A different train?" Shinichi asked cautiously. "I can't say I'm a fan of that. I'd be much more confident if the two of you went together."

"Y-yeah," Kasumi adds on, "is my presence really that grating on you?"

"T-that's not it!" Sumire continued, trying to get her emotions across. "I-I just really need to find myself. You're so confident Kasumi. I just want to be a little more like you is all."

Gritting her teeth, Kasumi didn't know what to do. Every single thing in life had come easy to her. The decision to shoot for the top of gymnastic world, the decision to have her sister accompany her on it, to eat ice cream together. Now though, she had no idea.

_You're so confident Kasumi._

_Your boldness is what sets you apart Kasumi._

_You'll easily go pro Kasumi._

"You're wrong… You're all wrong…"

"What?"

"I'm not confident, I'm not brave. I only look that way… because I have you Sumire." Feelings bared; Kasumi's head sunk to her chest in defeat. She'd never understood until now. How essential Sumire was to her continued development. Being there to push her higher and higher.

"G-girls?" Their father stuttered, unsure of what exactly was transpiring between the two of them.

"T-that's not true!" Sumire cried out, leaping up, she grabbed one of Kasumi's startled hands. The inverse of a scene that played out mere weeks prior. "I think you too just need to find yourself without me there!"

"Hiraguchi said the same thing…" Kasumi admitted reluctantly. "I just… I never thought that I'd have to."

"I'm so sorry!" Sumire pled. "But if I don't do this now… I'll never be strong enough to stand by your side when the day comes. So please, listen to my desires, Kasumi!"

"How am I supposed to deny my cute imouto anything when she asks so politely?" Strangely enough, Kasumi felt the flames of competition burning inside her once again. "I'll put this bluntly, you better not disappoint me when the summer meet comes! I'll be taking home first and you'll be beside me in the second position!"

"Y-yes!" Sumire squeaked back, overpowered by the force in Kasumi's words. "Wait, no, I mean you'll be in the second position!"

"I'm looking forward to seeing it," Kasumi winked back, sticking out her tongue playfully. Oaths renewed; the girls tore back into their extra-large servings of supper.

"Well… This certainly is a new development, isn't it?" Shinichi mumbled to himself, hiding his smile.

* * *

_Monday April 11_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

Ren could only shake his head in wonder as he found the faculty office. The kid he'd met, Ryuji, didn't seem like a half-bad guy. That teacher, Kamoshida, on the other hand… He screamed bad news.

_What was that world?_

The school building had turned into a castle. Soldiers had imprisoned them and threatened to kill them. The whole situation felt like a bad dream, and yet, time continued to tick by. It was now afternoon and Ren had just shown up to school.

"Ms. Kawakami?"

"There you are," she sighed in response, the disappointment palpable in her eyes. "I can't believe you were half a day late on your first day. I thought you understood yesterday when we told you that you were only one incident away from expulsion?"

"It won't happen again," Ren fervently promised.

"Be sure it doesn't. I'll tell the class that you missed the morning due to illness." Standing up, Kawakami led Ren to the classroom, where fifth period would be starting any second now. "Also, don't say anything strange to the class, alright?"

"Yes…" Ren could feel that something was wrong. The students he'd passed on the way in had been gossiping about him. That wasn't supposed to happen. Principal Kobayakawa had assured him no one here knew about his record. Fearing the worst, Ren walked into the classroom.

"That's him, isn't it?"

"The transfer student, don't look him in the eye or he'll attack you!"

"I heard he beat someone up so bad they died!"

Ren wanted to scream at them. To claim his innocence, say he didn't do any of it. He didn't know how it had happened, but word had spread. There would be no fresh start here. No freedom. He didn't have a place to belong, and never would.

"My name is Ren Amamiya." Leaving it there, he turned to take his seat. It was obvious which one it would be, the only open one.

"Liar."

Stopping briefly, Ren stared silently at the gorgeous girl. It was the one from the station. The girl that rode with Kamoshida. Ripping his eyes off her, he claimed the empty seat behind her. Given her looks, Ren was surprised none of the guys had claimed the seat to try and make a move on her.

"Hey, did you see that?"

"Does Takamaki-san know him?"

"Wait, does that mean she's cheating on him with Kamoshida?"

_So, she doesn't belong here either._

Filing the information away, Ren sat back in his chair and waited for class to begin. For some reason, he felt a bond of comradely with the girl. Something told him, they had more in common than they initially appeared to.

* * *

_Monday April 11_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Sumire clutched her hair as she sat at the desk in her room. The notes in front of her were all blurring together. "It's only the first day," she moaned, laying her head against the desk.

Tilting her head, she read the display on her clock. _10:20 pm_. She needed to go to bed. Taking off her ornamental glasses, she laid them to side so that she could rub her weary eyes.

She'd forgotten how long these days were due to the break between ninth and tenth grade. Getting up early, catching the train, doing schoolwork, coming home, training, homework, repeat.

Usually Sumire would have finished hours ago with Kasumi's help. Kasumi was constantly at the top academically. Another thing that her sister had surpassed her in.

"Gargh it's impossible!"

Tearing at her hair with her hands, Sumire had reached her wit's end. This homework was supposed to be easy. It was the first day back. A warm-up to help them remember what had been covered in middle school.

All the thinking about school brought back the memories of earlier today. Mr. Ushimaru had been exactly as bad as the principal had told her he would be. Sumire had just been distracted a little with the clouds passing by outside. That was no reason to throw a piece of chalk at her!

Rubbing her forehead, Sumire imagined she could feel a dent from where it had struck her.

_Kasumi could have dodged it._

Shoulders slumping forward, Sumire could see it in her mind. An effortless tilt of the head as the chalk soared past. Her classmates would look on approvingly as she one-upped the demonic instructor. Instead, Sumire had let out an embarrassing squeak and had been laughed at.

"I can't do it after all… I need her…"

Laughing quietly at her own incompetence, Sumire couldn't get the self-deprecating smile off her face. Things that needed to be done rushed through her head. She'd call Hiraguchi in the morning to announce her decision to quit. Kasumi would be upset, but she'd get over it. The Kasumi in Sumire's head would never fail. First though, is to beg Kasumi to help her finish the homework.

With a plan in mind, Sumire should have been happy, but each step towards the door of her room felt like a lifetime. Each step another uncertainty about whether she was making the right decision.

Barely a day ago, Sumire had pledged herself as Kasumi's rival and had decided to best her at the next meet. A couple pieces of homework and she was done. She'd been foolish to assume she could do anything without Kasumi.

Finally reaching the door, Sumire laid a tentative hand on the doorknob. An admission, that once taken, there was no returning from.

"Voices?"

Stopping herself from turning the handle, Sumire leaned her ear against the frame to listen.

"Are you sure about this?"

"We can't stop them now. Also…"

"Yes?"

"I think they'll both benefit from this. Kasumi helped Sumire too much. This is a chance for her to grow just as much as Sumire."

"… You're right. I just wish it wasn't so hard to watch them both struggle. That's the longest I've ever seen Kasumi take to complete homework."

"Yes, it seems she learned a lot faster having someone to instruct as she did it!"

Reeling back from the door, Sumire couldn't contain her shock. "Kasumi… struggled?" Turning back to her desk, the papers there looked entirely different. Sumire had been tackling them expecting it to be so much harder without Kasumi there. Like the tests always are. Without Kasumi's help Sumire was useless.

_But had I really not understood it without her?_

_Were there not times when I wanted to shout as Kasumi that she didn't have to go over every detail?_

_That I wasn't an idiot?_

"I… I will beat you Kasumi."

Confidence returning in small spurts, Sumire took up her position at her desk and dove back in once more. As the time ticked on faster and faster, so did her writing. Even as the bedtime she forced herself to maintain in order to stay in peak physical condition passed, Sumire's hand didn't slow.

For once, Sumire felt like _she_ understood the material. Not because Kasumi walked her through the problems, but because she thought about them and solved them. A fundamental understanding built on conquering the barriers set in front of her. Finishing the homework, Sumire restarted it, redoing her botched attempts from earlier.

Tsking irritably, Sumire ended up erasing almost everything she had done before and writing it out again. It looked so easy now. These questions were the foundations for the later ones that she'd already solved.

Still dissatisfied, Sumire dug out her notes that she'd taken in class. Comparing it with her homework and the assignments, everything clicked into place for Sumire. The strategies taught to solve the problems; the fundamental skills being taught. Her notes were a hopeless compilation of facts and unimportant utterances. Picking up her pencil once again, Kasumi blazed through her day's learning's, adding in the things she now realized were important.

"I'm done…" sighing heavily, Sumire allowed herself to lean back in the chair. Tilting her head, she looked at the alarm clock. "Midnight!" Gasping heavily, Sumire threw herself from her chair. Throwing off her clothes she rushed into pajamas in order to get as much sleep as possible.

"I'll only get… 7 hours if I fall asleep immediately!"

Strangely though, as Sumire paused in her frantic struggle, she realized she wasn't all that worried. Just because she set herself a strict bedtime of 11 pm and waking up at 7, a perfect 8 hours of rest, had that ever happened? How often had she twisted and turned, dreading the next day of failure?

Finishing her bedtime routine, Sumire smiled as she put her glasses on the stand beside her bed. Something told her she'd sleep well tonight.

* * *

_Tuesday April 12_ _th_ _, 20XX Early morning_

True to her gut feeling, Sumire actually felt pumped up about the day. She kept glancing at where her completed homework sat in her bag like a prize gem.

_She_ had done it. By herself, with no one helping. The feeling of accomplishment pulsed through her, giving her an invincible high as she dug into her carefully prepared breakfast.

Egg after egg disappeared down her gullet as she continued to sacrifice the unfertilized embryos to the black hole that resides in her gut.

"Sumire."

"Kasumi!" Sumire replied happily taking a break from the endless buffet. "How was the homework?"

"Rough," she admited collapsing to the table.

Eyes widening in surprise, Sumire realized that her parents' words were true. Kasumi had indeed struggled and looked unprepared to face the day. Usually Kasumi greeted each day beaming and ready to face it. Now…

_She looks like me._

The thought rocked Sumire as she did her best not to gape at her downtrodden sister.

"What about you? You were locked in your room all night."

"It was really hard." Sumire agreed. "But I finished it! I feel like I really understood the material by the end."

Waiting for Kasumi's words of praise, Sumire's face fell, as her sister simply turned to her own food. Eyes widening with understanding of what she'd just implied, Sumire rushed to fix her mistake.

"I'm not saying that you were bad at explaining things. I'm just uh…"

"If your done eating why don't you take the early train today. I'll be along later."

"…Yes."

Finishing her meal a few seconds later, Sumire washed up and grabbed her bag.

"I'm… uh, sorry…"

"…"

"Bye…" Leaving the house, Sumire walked quickly to the station despite having plenty of time to get there. Soon enough, however, her pace was forced to slow. The morning rush began to conglomerate, preventing almost all motion.

Waiting patiently in line, Sumire pushed forward with the others. Due to her early arrival, Sumire quickly found herself at the front of the line, waiting for the bus to Aoyoma-itchome station. Boarding it, Sumire found herself pressed into a seat as the train car was packed full of people, filled to bursting.

Keeping her legs back, Sumire made herself as unobtrusive as possible as multiple people passed by above her, seeking handholds and a place to stand. Releasing her pent-up breath once the train finally got moving again, Sumire forced herself to relax a little. Yesterday, she'd taken the late train to school and then got out early due to school ending after fifth period because of the Sunday subway accident.

This was the first time Sumire had been forced to endure these massive crowds on her own. Usually Kasumi had been there, placing herself between Sumire and the pressing masses.

The stops came and went, people shuffling off and new ones coming back on. Sumire was glad she didn't need to transfer. As she got closer the school, she saw more and more Shujin uniforms as she looked around the slightly emptier train.

"Next one is mine…"

Giving herself an audible reminder, Sumire looked up for the first time this trip. Eyes widening, an old lady was standing right in front of her.

"I'm so sorry, please take my seat ma'am!"

Shooting out of the seat, Sumire moved out of the way for the lady to take it.

"Oh…" Hand reaching out uselessly, Sumire watched helplessly as a businessman swooped in and took it.

"Excuse me, that seat wasn't for you."

Blinking in surprise, Sumire found the man that had spoken up to defend her. Doing so, Sumire felt her heart beat a little quicker. It was him! That boy from Sunday.

Turning back to the businessman, Sumire saw that his intervention hadn't done anything. Sumire could practically see the comical Z's floating up above his head. The man must have been exhausted.

"I'm so sorry ma'am!"

"Don't worry about it, dearie. The gesture was nice."

Letting the conversation die there, Sumire felt that same feeling from earlier begin to return. Staring up through her bangs, she continued to examine at the Shujin student as he turned away from the scene of his failure.

"I'm going to thank him…"

Mind made up, Sumire was excited at the prospect of her first solo adventure.

* * *

_Tuesday April 12_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning._

Ren pursed his lips in disappointment and turned away from the snoring businessman. The girl's gesture had been ruined, but there was a chance he needed it more than the old lady.

Even as he turned away, Ren felt hints of frustration. Even in this simple task he'd failed. How on earth was he supposed to save the world from Ruin? Or whatever that long-nosed man had prattled on about.

Ren didn't understand anything. That prison in his dreams, those twin girls. Ren still had no idea how tired he must have been for his mind to create them. Yet, no matter how much he wanted to declare the three entities a figment of his imagination, he simply couldn't.

The truth of their words had rung true. That castle had been real. The crimes that Kamoshida has been committing are real.

" _Aoyoma-itchome, that's Aoyoma-itchome."_

Pushing up his glasses, Ren decided to focus on that later and complete the walk to school. At least the homework had been easy yesterday. That was inspite of his body feeling fuzzy and heavy all day after using that power in the castle.

Catching view of another group of people crossing perpendicularly to his path, Ren slowed to allow them through. As he did, he felt someone run into his back.

"You…" Turning around, Ren looked on in surprise at the red-haired girl form the train. She was sprawled on the ground, the contents of her bag spilled around her to the annoyance of the other people trying to get past.

Without thinking, Ren knelt down and began collecting the documents for her. Carefully stacking them, he recognized the content as first-year material. More accurately, it was intro stuff, things you learn back in middle school.

"Here you go…" Trailing off, Ren tried to hand the documents back to the girl.

"I-I wasn't stalking you, I was just umm, trying to catch you to…"

"What?" Cutting her off, Ren examined her a bit more. While her face was quite ordinary, it was still unblemished and quite cute. The glasses and immaculate ruby irises only furthered her beauty.

"Oh right!" Taking the papers from Ren, she quickly stuffed them into her bag. Jumping to her feet, the girl executed a deep bow. "I'm so sorry!"

"Really… It's nothing," Ren murmured back embarrassed. It was impossible to ignore the smirks and side-long glances from the people funneling out from the station.

"Oh, are you a second year at Shujin?" The girl asked, noticing the 2 on his blazer. "That makes you my senpai."

Scratching his head, Ren wasn't sure what to make of the admiration in her voice. It was clear that this girl didn't associate him with the rumours circulating the school. For some reason, when he thought of her innocent smile turning into a gaze of fear, Ren got sad.

"Oh no!" The girl continued suddenly, embarrassment consuming her. "I forgot to thank you for earlier!"

"Earlier?"

"Helping me in the train when I tried to give my seat to that lady."

"I didn't end up helping though…"

"You tried! That's more than most… Oh shoot! I need to get to school so I can talk to the teachers before class starts. Excuse me!"

"B-bye…" Overwhelmed by the girl, Ren could do little but watch as her red hair swirled around her again as she bowed politely before darting off toward the school.

In a slightly better mood, Ren felt prepared to face the day. After all, how bad could it be with people like her around?

* * *

_Wednesday April 13_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

Kasumi watched wide-eyed as the volleyball rally continued around her. While no other sport excited her quite like gymnastics, it was always fun to watch athletes show off the efforts of their training.

The form, the jumping, the rotation required to hit the ball as hard as they are, Kasumi was able to accurately assess how much work would be required to play the sport at a high level.

"I work harder though…" These players would never understand the efforts Kasumi had put into shaping her body and achieving her flexibility. The counted calories, the balancing of nutrients.

"Oh, enjoying the show I see."

"Hmm, oh Mr. Kamoshida! You were wonderful out there!"

"Hehe, I guess I was, wasn't I? High praise from an athlete such as yourself."

"Oh no! I have a long way to go yet to reach the heights you once attained!"

"Once attained, eh?"

"Mr. Kamoshida?" Kasumi asked hesitantly, sensing some change in the teacher's mood.

"…It's nothing. Look over there though, will you?"

"Umm, yes?" Following Kamoshida's gesture, Kasumi found a pair of boys lounging around against the wall of the gym. They looked quite normal, besides the one boy's dyed blonde hair.

"Those are the delinquents of the school, be sure not to associate with them."

"Oh, yes!" Kasumi agreed instantly, feeling any other answer would get her unwanted attention.

"I'll see you around." Excusing himself, Kamoshida left to get some water before the next match resumed.

"W-wait!" Kasumi pled, one question rising strongly within her.

"Yes?" Kamoshida replied, annoyed at having been stopped.

"I-I just wanted to know, if you had to do it all over again, would you make the same choices that led you to the Olympics, to competing and succeeding on the highest level?"

Staring into the teacher's eyes, Kasumi understood that the question and her posture were inappropriate. Kamoshida could easily send her to the principal and on very good cause.

"Would I? What a stupid question," Kamoshida laughed drily, shaking his head at Kasumi. "Winning is everything. Not only am I famous, I'm the king of this castle. Just ask Sakamoto over there what happens if you mess with the king."

"Castle?"

"Uh, school." Kamoshida corrected himself. A prominent confusion in his eyes, like he didn't understand why he had the word either. "You'll understand when you reach the top. I mean _if_." Leaving the sly insult on the end, Kamoshida continued walking and left Kasumi behind.

"I don't… I don't understand what he meant…"

Leaning back against the wall herself, Kasumi's eyes traced back over to where those two boys were before. To her disappointment, they'd both disappeared. One of them must have been the Sakamoto that Kamoshida had mentioned.

"He talked like the sport meant nothing… That the teammates he won with are nothing to him… Why?"

The words terrified Kasumi. Did she need to be obsessed with winning in order to achieve her goals? To the point of betraying and abandoning everyone around her?

"No… Not Sumire. I'll beat her fair and square, like I always do. It's Kamoshida that's wrong."

Taking a closer look around the gymnasium, Kasumi began noticing the abnormalities that she'd dismissed before. The players on the teams, specifically the men's team, had an excessive amount of injuries. That boy Kamoshida had hit, why didn't he take him to the nurse? Lifting the boy should have been easy for Kamoshida. Instead he'd gone right back to playing.

"Why was the boy standing that far back…"

Shaking from the fear that had suddenly manifested itself, Kasumi asked herself one more question.

"What is the point of the volleyball rally?"

It was only the third day of school. They didn't need a break yet such that it was a way of relieving stress. And promoting the volleyball team? Why did it matter?

Literally every student knew about Suguru Kamoshida and his success with the volleyball teams at Shujin academy. If you didn't, you were informed quickly. This whole day just felt… wrong.

Good mood ruined by the conversation and idle talk, Kasumi hauled herself up, and out of the gymnasium. Feet carrying her somewhere, Kasumi barely saw the school as she walked around.

Eventually, Kasumi found herself wishing she had someone to talk to. It was only recently that she'd been alone for considerable portions of time. Before, Sumire was at her side, following where Kasumi directed. Without her there, Kasumi felt listless as she walked around.

It had also proven difficult to find friends in her class. The guys were intimidated of her and so were the girls. There though, Kasumi felt a lot of jealousy from them. That was to be expected after all. The teacher had made the mistake of announcing in front of everyone that she didn't expect Kasumi's homework on time.

A privilege from her honor student status. Nonetheless, Kasumi made sure to submit every document on time with her peers. Hopefully over time, they'd start treating her normally.

_Until I take time off to go to training camps and tournaments._

Sighing, Kasumi kicked at the ground as she walked. The hallways and people blended around her. Each one looked the exact same to her. Everything seemed to have taken on a monotone colour to her now that Sumire was no longer with her.

"Maybe I really should find that Sakamoto…" Kasumi muttered to herself. Underneath the loneliness, she still felt that burning desire to figure out what was going on. Kamoshida's words had been deeply unsettling. Kasumi knew she wouldn't be able to rest until she found out what was going on.

" _The volleyball rally has now concluded. Everyone is free to leave."_

"Oh," Kasumi blinked, as the announcement told her that she'd wasted too much time. "Guess I should get my stuff and head to practice. Although… where am I?"

Turning around, Kasumi quickly identified her location as the bridge on the second floor that crossed over the courtyard. Hearing the flood of students fill the hallways to either side, Kasumi's feet stopped moving. Leaning on the railing, she gazed peacefully at the abundant greenery that filled the courtyard. The well-cared for garden beds indicated that the school had a dedicated gardening club. Typically, Kasumi would have classified this as wasted time, now though, she found herself secretly enjoying the moment of peace, away from expectations and necessities. There was still quite some time before Hiraguchi would be expecting Kasumi for practice. Nonetheless, as the voices died out one by one, Kasumi knew it was time for her to leave. The volleyball teams would be returning to the gym for practice. Picking a direction at random, Kasumi doubted that the distance to the entrance from here was much different either way.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Kasumi blinked in surprise as she saw two figures ascending the stairs. They stopped as well when they saw her. Kasumi had no doubt that it was the pair Kamoshida had pointed out. The boy on the right was the one with the dyed hair. His gym clothes were askew in what seemed to be a purposeful manner. A way of standing out without actually breaking etiquette. The one on the left, though, Kasumi would have pegged to more likely be an honor's student than a delinquent. While his curly black hair was slightly unkempt, his gym uniform was perfectly to code and the black eyes behind his glasses were clear and earnest.

"Umm, Sakamoto-Senpai?" Kasumi greeted, the earnest black-haired one, hoping that it would be him and not have to talk to the blond one.

Her hopes were dashed moments later as the blond one narrowed his eyes and approached. Walking closer and closer, Kasumi was eventually forced to take a step back from the staircase.

"You were the one talking to that bastard Kamoshida. What are you, his new star pupil? Come to deliver a message I assume?"

"Umm, excuse me Senpai, I don't understand."

"Cut the bullshit," Sakamoto growled in reply. "He clearly pointed us out to you. Probably said crap like don't get involved with those delinquents. Now you're here calling me out by name."

"W-well, yes." Kasumi replied, admitting the truth as his vulgar language and glare overpowered her willpower.

"Gah, I've had enough of his bullshit!" Sakamoto continued to rage. The raw anger and hurt in his eyes driving Kasumi another step back. "Let's get out of here Ren. I don't want to listen to Kamoshida's newest lapdog's self-righteous spiel."

"We should at least hear her out Ryuji," the black-haired one calmed. "Why don't we talk quickly over there."

"Ugh, I don't get how you're so calm man… You're probably right. Uh, sorry for saying that stuff. I'm just a little wound up right now."

"Apology accepted Senpai." With nothing else to say, Kasumi left it there. Turning to the calm black-haired one, Kasumi nodded her head in appreciation. She would never have been able to hear Sakamoto's tale without him.

Turning around, Kasumi led them back into the deserted overpass. No longer could the sounds and chatter of students be heard echoing up and down the adjacent hallways.

"You were kind of right Sakamoto senpai, I came to talk to you because of something Mr. Kamoshida said."

Pausing in fear, Kasumi watched as the boy's eyes narrowed in anger. However, this time he said nothing, allowing Kasumi to continue.

"He told me to ask you… what happens when you mess with the king?"

Instantly the aura surrounding both boys changed. As one they took half-steps toward her. Buckling under the pressure, Kasumi was most concerned with the black-eyed boy. Earlier he had seemed so calm, just those words though and a menacing aura seemed to emanate from him. One a true delinquent would emit.

"You've been to the castle?" Sakamoto asked, his voice low.

"C-castle?" Kasumi stuttered growing very quickly more and more terrified. "Kamoshida did say he was a king of a castle, but umm, he meant to say school."

"Where did he say this?" The black-haired one jumped in.

Instantly his voice soothed away the fear that had been building in Kasumi. Turning to face him, that malice from earlier had vanished like a spring mist.

"Where? In the gymnasium, just after he pointed you out to me." Kasumi admitted. "His words were so confusing… Then I realized how weird this volleyball rally is and how beat up the players are… I wanted to talk to you."

Thoughts revealed, the boys spent a long minute looking at each other. Kasumi knew that something passed between them in that instant, what though, she couldn't tell.

"That's a pretty personal story you ask for," the black-haired one informed her quietly, breaking eye contact with his partner.

"I-I just want to know what's going on." Kasumi confirmed her will. Glancing between them, she hoped that her plea would reach.

"Whatever," the blond sighed, rubbing his head. "It's basically only the first-years that don't know yet anyway. May as well tell you now so that the rumour-filled one doesn't gain too much traction."

"Y-yes?"

"I was part of the track team last year; we were pretty damn good too. Until Kamoshida got involved. The practices were impossible. Made us do countless sprints, and when we couldn't, would add on more." Grimacing, Sakamoto cut off briefly. "Kamoshida learnt that my parents were separated. Kept talking shit about how my dad knew better than trying to stick around to raise a guy like me."

"No…"

Ignoring Kasumi interjection, Sakamoto continued, lost in memories past, oblivious to Kasumi's horror.

"One day, I had enough. The guys were all dying after a hard practice. Kamoshida moved on to my Mom. Talking shit about her. So, I punched him. Exactly what he wanted. The Little Shit took it out on me by shattering my knee. Still can't run like I used to. After that, track team got disbanded."

"That's horrible Senpai…" Kasumi could hardly contain the tears as she gaped at the boy. His general demeanor of slacking off, that aura of palpable anger, it all made sense now. "How did Kamoshida get away with that!?"

"School called it self-defence," the boy answered with a growl. "Well, anyway, that's what happens if you mess with him. He'll take you out since he basically rules the place. Everyone turns a blind eye to the shit he does."

"This volleyball rally…" Kasumi muttered with oncoming sureness, "is just an excuse for him to relive his glory days… isn't it?"

Both of the boys flashed triumphant smiles at Kasumi's question. She was probably the first one to come to the same conclusion as them.

"Oh no, I have to go. Excuse me!" Bowing quickly and politely, Kasumi darted away from them. Only as she left the school did Kasumi remember, "I never even told them my name, did I?"

Despite the morose topics of discussion, Kasumi found herself smiling. Maybe it was because the boys were so different from anyone she'd talked to before, but Kasumi felt an unusual sensation, she wanted to talk to them again. It was the first time she'd felt like this about anyone who wasn't Sumire.

"Their names were Ryuji and… Ren, I believe." Muttering to herself, Kasumi smiled as she moved around the black-haired boy's name in her mouth. There was something different about him. Kasumi wasn't sure what exactly it was, but she was determined to find out eventually.

* * *

_Friday April 15_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Ren shook his head as he looked up at the gigantic castle. It really was the perfect metaphor for Kamoshida's personality. "Third time here, huh?" he queried to Ryuji.

"You know, you really do change when we come here," Ryuji commented, posing thoughtfully. Well, thoughtfully for him.

"Hush!" Morgana commanded, trying to take charge once again. "The security is going to be high. We'll need to do our best to not be seen."

"W-what the hell is this place!?"

"Takamaki?" Even speaking her name, Ren didn't really believe it. How had she followed them into the metaverse?

"Wait, Sakamoto!? And Amamiya-kun!? What's going on here?"

"How'd did you get here!" Ryuii shouted, panicked.

"I-I don't know! I just knew you were going to do something to Kamoshida and so I followed you!"

Ren nodded sympathetically. Takamaki was probably blaming herself for Shiho's suicide attempt after turning down Kamoshida. No wonder she followed them.

"That app probably brings in anyone in the nearby vicinity." Morgana moaned, finally breaking out of his love-struck gaze. "Afterall, we all went in from one phone."

"Guess we'll need to be careful about where we use it in the future," Ryuji laughed quietly, off-kilter from having Takamaki here.

"You should have been careful the first time!" Morgana berated him further.

"Uhh, we got to get rid of her, right?" Ryuji asked, displeased with the whole situation.

"It appears so," Ren agreed with tight lips.

"Goodbye Lady Ann…" Morgana whispered mournfully.

"Wait, what are you two doing to, ah! Watch where you're touching!"

Sighing, Joker touched his head as the screams faded away into nothingness. With Takamaki sent back to the real world it was time to begin. How to explain this to her after though?

Pushing the idle thoughts away, Ren straightened, his long black cloak swirling around him. The power granted to him in this world was intoxicating. Flashing his teammates a devilish smile, he waved them forward into the castle.

"Wait!" Morgana called. "We need to come up with code names!"

"…?"

"We can't call each other by our real names. First off, that's lame, secondly, we don't know what affect shouting our real names in here would have on their cognition."

"Makes sense," Ren agreed, analyzing the reasoning quickly.

"Quick as usual," Morgana praised him. "That's why, you'll be Joker!"

"Why's that?" Ryuji butted in.

"Isn't it obvious?" Morgana chuckled. "It's because he's the ace up our sleeves. The Joker is both a wildcard and the strongest."

"Wow!" Ryuji cried, pumped up about the name. "What's mine then?"

"It's got to be Thug," Joker commented, face straight as usual.

"Yeah!" Morgana added, "that's exactly it!"

"Hell no! I want to named after the mask."

"Skull then?" Joker offered. "What about Morgana?"

"Yeah! I'm Skull!"

"Call me Mona if you must," Morgana decided for himself.

"Joker, Mona and Skull," Ryuji continued, clearly loving the names. Let's go!"

"Remember," Mona halted him. "This is our first job as Phantom thieves. Let's be sure to take it slow."

"Yeah, yeah, slow, let's go find this treasure Joker!" Ryuji added on, completely negating Mona's warning.

"Keep up," Joker smirked at the two before dashing into the entranceway of the palace. His feet blurred beneath him as he crossed the drawbridge in a second and across the stone courtyard. Making a beeline for the ventilation shaft, Joker smiled wildly as he pulled himself up with one hand and through the shaft.

Coming out the other side, Joker took a second to revel in the enhanced physical capabilities granted to him in this world. Making sure the others had kept up, Joker exited the room.

The rich decorations and carpet suited the interior perfectly. The whole building was coated in excessive ornamentation designed specifically to display wealth.

Turning to the right, Joker reeled back instantly, sending a silencing gaze at the other two. Gesturing with his head, they followed silently to the empty doorframe to the right.

Pressing against it, Joker listened as Kamoshida instructed his troops. Unsurprisingly, it was about them. With a final order to hunt them down, Kamoshida departed and the soldiers began to break up into orderly patrols.

Gesturing, Joker ordered them to fall back to the first room.

"Damn it!" Skull cursed, silently for him, "there's so many of them!"

"Of course," Mona sighed, the usual condescending attitude returning. "Let's go a different direction for now."

"Follow me," Taking off before any of them could deny him, Joker headed to the left and through the door there. "Shit!" Right on the other side another guard was already standing there, blocking the way. Before it could turn around, Joker quickly slashed at it with his knife, exposing its true form.

The armour and appearance of the soldier melted into shadows that pooled on the ground before dissipating. Left in its place was a what looked like a small girl hovering in the air on gossamer wings.

"This looks like a good place to try something," Mona informed him, before the fight could begin in earnest. "Knock the shadow down, but don't do an All-out-attack,"

"Fine." Getting tired of continually being the pupil, Joker pulled out his gun and shot. With a cry, the shadow collapsed to the floor.

"Now then!" Mona continued as they surrounded the helpless being. "Shadows come from the sea of human consciousness, that means they can talk. Instead of just killing them, you can demand money and items from them!"

"W-whoa!" Ryuji muttered, dazed as always.

"Makes sense," Joker confirmed, "Give us money," he demanded to the shadow.

"Uh, you know I totally would," it replied in a feminine voice befitting its appearance. "However, I just like spent it all yesterday…"

"No way!" Mona lamented; master plan foiled. "Guess we just have to kill it then."

"Go to hell," Joker confirmed, unable to feel mercy for these fragments of beings.

"W-wait!" The shadow pled. "Surely there's another way!"

"…Like what?" Joker queried, taking the bait. The proposal was interesting. More than that though, the words of the long-nosed man awoke within him. Developing the power of persona… Was it possible?

"I didn't always belong to Kamoshida! I can work for you instead!"

"We have a deal."

"Ah!" The girl cried, flying back up to her original position. "I remember! My name is Pixie. I shall become your mask."

With that the shadow dissolved into shimmering trails of energy of blue and black. Instinctively, Joker reached out, taking the energy and morphing in into a mask. Pressing it into his existing one, Joker smiled as the additional power coursed through him. Possibilities opening that hadn't been there before.

"W-what the hell was that!" Mona stuttered, unable to conceive the scene that had just occurred. "You just recruited a shadow to become a second persona for you!?"

"Wild!" Skull agreed, clearly surprised as well, but not shocked to the same level. "Think I can do that to?"

"No way!" Mona shut him down. "I've never heard of someone having more than one persona before. This just confirms that Joker is very special! Man am I lucky I recruited you two!"

Cutting off Mona's speech, a door further in burst open, revealing another guard. "Intruders! Perish by the might of Kamoshida!"

Repeating the same action as the last shadow, the superfluous outside melted away revealing two shadows. The goat-like monsters were far larger than the pixie from earlier. Tsking, Joker could remember the feelings of those horns last time when Mona and he had been unable to stop them before Ryuji awakened to his power.

However… this time, Joker felt that new possibility swirling within him. A persona that could utilize the same electric potential that Skull had used to dispatch these horned beasts with ease.

"Pixie, Zio!" Calling out the name of the persona, Joker ripped his mask off, Bringing back out the shadow from moments before. Now though, he realized with an exhilarated smile, this was no shadow, it was his persona. Another face of him. Another personality he could wield freely.

Materializing in front of him, the persona obeyed his will and cast the lightning skill that he'd seen earlier, manifested by Skull's Captain Kidd. The small bolts of lightning circled around the goat-like persona finding and striking a weakness that was not noticeable by the naked eye.

"Gah!" Crying out, the demonic goat collapsed under its front knees.

"T-that's the shadow from earlier!" Mona gasped, still struggling to accept joker's new power.

"Zio!" Joker cried out again, targeting the other one. With a repeat from earlier, the second shadow collapsed to his knees. "Let's end this." Waving his companions forward, the three of them set into the two downed shadows.

With a final smirk and a pull of his glove, Joker left the shadows behind him to die, the essence that composes them pouring out.

"Man, I love doing that!" Skull crowed at the end of it all. "Let's find some more, yeah?"

"So vulgar," Mona predictably smirked, the glint in his eyes giving away the same rush of excitement that Skull was feeling.

Guiding them forward, Joker paused at a suspicious looking room. The way was blocked with metal bars, the path forward more extravagant than most and lined with statues of soldiers. The door at the end was the largest he'd seen so far. With no way in, however, Joker kept moving forward. The room may be important, but it clearly didn't contain the treasure they were looking for.

"Damn, three of them?" Skull cursed as they cautiously peered into the next room.

Mona stayed silent this time as Joker analyzed the situation. While the room looked like little more than storage, old barrels and dining tables filling the wooden room, it was clear that the exit on the other side must lead to more important areas.

"We'll take them down one-by-one by ambush." Eyes steely hard with determination, Joker flashed his companions one more uninhibited smile before stealthily slinking into the room.

Joker walked like a ghost, his noiseless steps bringing him quickly closer to one of the unobservant guards. Once again, he felt like he was born for this. Every action came naturally. In here it was hard to remember what life had been like before everything happened. Suddenly, the assault charge and getting shipped off to Tokyo felt like fate. A necessary event required to truly start his life.

"Reveal your true form!" Commanding the shadow, Joker easily scaled the soldier and grabbed at its mask, visible just below the helmet and pulled. With a slurp, the mask gave way, pulling with it the illusion the shadow had constructed for itself.

Sighing at the two measly lantern bearers that came forth, Joker shook his head at them. "Finish them with Garu, Mona."

"Y-yes!" Unused to taking orders, Mona quickly called forth his Persona Zorro. Two quick blasts later, there was nothing remaining of the shadows.

Slinking back down, Joker took a quick look around the room. The other two appeared to have noticed nothing. Truly becoming a vengeful ghost, Joker flitted around the room, revealing and dispatching the last two opponents.

"What's that!" Skull asked in awe, pointing at a shimmering box.

"A treasure chest you idiot," Mona sighed. "Let's get it Joker, there may be something valuable inside.

Nodding, he ripped open the lid and took the loot. "A new dagger, eh? Don't mind if I do." Replacing the first crappy one that Joker still wasn't sure where it had come from, he felt more than ready for any obstacle that may get in his way.

Waving them forward, Joker led them out of the room to a corner. A door straight in front and the hallway continuing to the right. Stopping, the wavy door in front got his attention. It brought back memories of a similar place he'd encountered the last time they'd entered.

"A safe room," Mona confirmed. "Let's stop in there for a moment and rest up."

Going along with it, Joker supressed the urge to roll his eyes at the command. Mona couldn't vote for him as leader and then constantly try to seize control back. That uncomfortable conversation would come later.

The act of entering the room felt like a weight was lifted off Joker's shoulders. The inside was quite cramped as it shimmered between a palace break room and something resembling a janitor's closet. No wonder the distortion was less here, it was unlikely Kamoshida cleaned anything besides his own trophies.

Being in here, Joker was able to fully appreciate the difference in tension in areas where the distortion was strong and the safe rooms. They truly felt safe, even though logically only a small wooden door separated them from the shadows.

"Did you guys hear that?" Mona asked suddenly.

Straining his ears, Joker picked up what sounded like a scuffle happening back the way they had come. Raised voices as shadows argued with someone possessing a distinctly feminine voice.

"I'm going to go check it out."

"Be safe," Nodding farewell to Mona, Joker leaned back to wait for him to return,

"Pretty wild so far, huh?" Skull asked, sprawled out in a chair. "These powers are wicked!"

"Even so," Joker warned him, "It will be hard getting through here with just the three of us. I'd like at least one more member."

"Oh?" Skull asked interested. "You thinking about that first-year from earlier?"

"Huh?" Pausing in confusion, it took Joker awhile to pull up the conversation he'd had on Wednesday with that girl. With the amount of sharing he'd done; Joker wasn't surprised Skull had remembered her quickly. "No, although it's a possibility if we run out of options."

"I mean," Skull chuckled, a perverted look in his eyes, "Daaamn. Am I right?"

Joker could only shake his head in reply to his friend's antics. However, he wasn't wrong.

"We're in trouble." Opening the door, Mona started the conversation seriously. "Lady Ann has returned."

"Huh? What the hell do you mean by that Morgana!?" Skull trumpeted, the noise echoing around the small room.

"Code names," Joker berated him instantly, shaking his head.

"Oh, yeah my bad. But what about Ann?"

"She must have gotten access to the app and used it to follow us after we returned her to the real world!"

"Let's go then," Joker asserted. "Lead the way Mona."

Dropping back into second, Joker's mind span while Mona ran back through the room with the long, old tables. Passing through quickly, Joker felt he knew exactly where they were heading. That blocked off passage from earlier.

True to expectations, Mona stopped at that corner and looked towards the door. Thankfully, the metal bars from earlier were out of the way.

Joker ran to the door and kicked it open, the time for subtlety had long since passed. The scene on the other side was even worse. Cognitive beings writhed on the floor. Topless female figures that all appeared to be in the midst of an ecstatic sensation. Joker didn't have to stretch his mind far to figure out what Kamoshida was implying here. The women's team were simply his sex slaves.

Past the faceless cognitions, Takamaki was suspended, bound by cuffs to a golden X. Three soldiers surrounded her, two with swords to her throat and a stronger one, wearing golden armour, watching cautiously. Off to the side were Kamoshida in his ridiculous outfit as well as the cognitive Ann.

"Stop this Kamoshida!"

"Well, well, the theives have arrived."

"You bastard!" Skull roared as he took in the room. "Let her go!"

"Don't take another step!" Kamoshida warned, "If you do, the soldiers will execute her!"

Glaring at Kamoshida, Joker realized that they were at a disadvantage here. With Ann's life in the balance, there was nothing they could do.

"Hmm, so what should I do," Kamoshida wondered. "Maybe I'll start with cutting off her clothes?"

"Oh, you're so naughty," Cognitive Ann added on, clearly enjoying it.

"You three can just stand over there and watch," Kamoshida laughed huskily, "Once I'm done with her, we'll get to your executions."

"Is this… because of what I did to Shiho?" The real Ann murmured. "Maybe then… I deserve this…"

"That's right!" Kamoshida crowed.

"No, it's not!" Joker yelled, anger flaring at her words. "He did this to Shiho, not you! Are you going to just take this!?"

"Huh?" Blinking Ann's eyes refocused on Joker. "Of course…" Anger flaring in Ann's eyes, she glared at kamoshida. "You're the one to blame! You ruined her life and almost convinced me it was my fault. I'm done playing your games, you piece of shit!"

" _My… it's taken far too long…"_

"Her as well?" Mona gasped shocked.

The shockwaves of power emanating from around Ann's body made it impossible to mistake for anything else. She was awakening to her persona. Like Ryuji had, and Ren before him.

Joker smirked as he watched. With the power bestowed, Ann easily snapped the chains binding her. Grabbing a sword from the shadow guard, she cut down the cognitive version of herself, dispersing it back into shadows. Tossing away the sword, Joker finally got to appreciate her new outfit. The tight red latex coated her from head to toe, displaying every single mature curve that Ann boasted.

"You took everything from Shiho! Now, I'm going to do the same to you!"

"Get them guards!" Kamoshida cried, falling to the ground and scrambling away.

"Come to me, Carman!" Calling out the name of her persona, the awakening finished as the energy coalesced into a persona.

In Joker's eyes, the persona was the ultimate foil for Kamoshida. A woman that leads men to their doom, her foot on a man's back clearly displaying Carmen's conflicting view about the superior sex.

"Let's go!" Joker commanded, "she'll need our help."

"How dare you defy the glorious King Kamoshida!" The strongest guard that hadn't been blown away by Ann's awakening stepped forth, golden armour melting as it assumed the guise of a true shadow.

Blinking in surprise, Joker wasn't ready for a demon sitting on a toilet. Regaining his wits in an instant, Joker used his superior agility to whip out his gun. Pouring all eight shots into the beast it bellowed in pain but looked relatively unharmed.

"Looks like I'm up!" Mona jeered, "Go, Zorro!" The wind skill from before also seemed to barely faze the beast. It was clearly made of sturdier material than the other shadows running around this place.

"Guess you need me after all! Captain kid!" With a roar, the bolts of lightning rained down on the toilet-dwelling creature causing superficial damage.

"Can't count on men for anything…" Ann sighed, her personality in line her persona. Cracking a whip, she pointed at the demon. "Burn it to ashes, Carmen!"

"What!?" Crying out in fear, the shadow barely had time to process the ball of fire being shot at it before it crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain.

"Let's finish this!"

"You got it!" Joker agreed happily, falling in line for the all-out-attack. With four people contributing, the damage output was immense, falling back, Joker was sure the damage dealt would finish the shadow.

"I'm not done yet." Picking itself back up, the shadow's eyes flared with rage as it summoned its own power. From it, a wave of wind flowed, it wasn't stronger than what Mona used, but it consumed all four of them. Covering himself with his arms, Joker grunted as he felt stamina leave his body.

"Sorry guys!" Ryuji called out in pain as he slumped to the floor. Just as the shadows were weaker to specific ailments, it seemed the same held true for their personas. Storing the information away, Joker focused on the fight.

"How about round two!" The beast cried, doing it again.

"Shit!" Cursing, all Joker could do for now was endure the shadow's attacks. Ryuji could be healed up later with the persona's abilities.

"Let's finish it off quick!" Joker commanded. Unthinking, he rushed in, swinging with his knife.

"Huh?"

Caught off guard by the vicious assault, the shadow was helpless as slash after slash pummeled its body. Rolling out of it, Joker fired one more shot to seal the deal.

"Ahh!" Releasing a scream of pain, it collapsed on the ground.

"Let me finish this, please…"

Glancing back at a panting Ann, Joker could tell she was a stiff breeze from fainting. Despite that though... he trusted her. Waving away Skull and Mona, they watched warily while Ann slowly advanced towards the helpless shadow.

"Get out of my sight!"

"Noo! I serve… the glorious… King… Kamo…" Trailing off, the guard captain dissolved into shadows.

"You… You're next… Kamo… Shida…"

"Slow down Takamaki," Joker warned offering her a stabilizing arm.

"He's right, Lady Ann. We should retreat for now."

"True," Skull agreed, groaning as he stretched his hurting body. "Besides, Kamoshida scampered."

"B-but I…"

"We'll explain everything," Joker assured her.

Promise in hand, Ann nodded meekly, her phantom suit disappearing as the energy to manifest it vanished.

"Let's leave then," Joker commanded. Despite not making any progress towards the treasure today, he could barely contain his glee. After all, they now had a fourth member, a powerful one at that. Even so, his mind went back to that first-year Skull had mentioned before. Would it be possible to recruit her as well?

Dismissing it as an idle fancy, Joker focused on the present and escaping the castle before more goons showed up.

* * *

_Sunday April 17_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Kasumi chewed the end of her pencil thoughtfully as she examined her sister. Sumire was busy in the kitchen cooking. Everyone else was out shopping. With Sumire staying behind to cook lunch for when they return, Kasumi had stayed behind on the pretense of doing her homework.

While she hadn't had any intentions of doing it right now, Kasumi found herself using it as a distraction from what she wanted to do. Talk to Sumire.

The scary part was, Kasumi had started to get used to only talking to Sumire at dinner, when the rest of the family around. She was still lonely every now and then, but no longer did the same crippling sadness threaten to overtake her.

Even the struggle of doing the homework on that first day now seemed childish. Looking down at the various papers, the answers rose to her mind easily. How she'd usually spend hours teaching it to Sumire, completely memorizing it in the progress.

Grabbing hold of that boldness that coach praised her for so often, Kasumi broke the silence. "Hey, Sumire, what do you think of Mr. Kamoshida?"

"Kamoshida?" Sumire asked back, her work pausing. "He's the one we're meeting with tomorrow morning, correct?"

"And the vice principal," Kasumi confirmed.

"Well, I uh, I guess it's easy to see why the volleyball program is rated so highly at Shujin with him around…"

"And?" Kasumi prompted.

Blushing, Sumire turned her face so that her long flowing hair would cover it.

"Come on," Kasumi prodded lightly, "you can speak your mind to me."

Biting her lip, Sumire seemed to waffle a bit more. "You promise not to say anything, right?"

"Of course!" Kasumi replied, a mixture of indignation and surprise in her voice.

"I don't like him. Not one bit."

"Oh," Kasumi blinked pleasantly surprised. Leaning back in her chair, she asked the predicable follow-up, "why?"

"The whole rally, it was supposed to be celebrating the teams, right? Supporting them in their meet that's coming up. But, when they were playing volleyball, it was all Kamoshida all the time. The players on both the men's and women's teams just looked depressed. I guess… I just understood how they felt."

"You were comparing him to me," Kasumi summarized softly. "The players spent hours practicing and enduring pain, only to end up second."

"S-sorry," Sumire stuttered. Raising her head, Kasumi was shocked by the determination in them. "I… I love you!"

"W-what!?" Kasumi stuttered in shock. "I… I mean I love you too, obviously…"

"S-sorry, I just didn't want you to think I hate you. I was jealous of you, and I don't think that's changed just yet, but I'm working on it!"

"You really are something else," Kasumi chuckled, staring at her oblivious little sister. One that never understood how strong she was.

"So, umm, what do you think about Mr. Kamoshida?"

"…I'm with you." Kasumi agreed in a low voice. "I heard a story after the rally. If it's true, he really is a monster…"

"K-Kasumi?"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Kasumi answered, smiling reassuringly at her younger sister. "Just… do your best to avoid him, alright?"

"Yes…" Turning back to the cooking, conversation died for awhile as an awkward silence invaded the space between them. With no warning, Sumire swung back around to Kasumi. "Do you think Kamoshida was somehow involved in that suicide attempt?"

Gasping at Sumire, Kasumi once again remembered that she wasn't as naïve as Kasumi sometimes thought. "Yes… I think he was."

"Will you tell me why?"

Fiddling with the pencil again, Kasumi looked at her homework to buy herself time. As time stretched and no solution presented itself, Kasumi relented. "Fine. But don't do anything rash, alright?"

"T-that's horrible," Sumire stuttered weakly after Kasumi had finished laying out her conversation with Kamoshida, her deductions, and maybe most importantly, her conversation with Sakamoto.

"Just keep your head down," Kasumi repeated. "Kamoshida basically is a king at school."

Meeting Kasumi's gaze, Sumire pouted defiantly. As their wills clashed over and over, no winner seemed to be in sight even as minutes passed by. Only the dinging of a timer eventually ended the contest as Sumire squeaked and rushed to deal with the food.

"Besides," Kasumi continued, "people need to solve their own problems. They need to face them head on."

"That's easy for you to say…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing…" Sumire relented.

Confused, Kasumi could only shake her head in reply at her sister's back. Going back to her homework, Kasumi tried to bury the confusion she felt in her own convictions. She knew that people should stand up for themselves and solve their own problems. It was a natural conclusion.

Except…

Isn't that exactly what that blond kid had tried to do? He'd stood up to Kamoshida so that he'd stop abusing the track team. Where had that gotten him?

Thoughts muddied; Kasumi dug back into her homework as a distraction. Anything to remove the doubts that were starting to clog her mind.


	2. The Collapse of Lust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again,
> 
> Thank you for the support. I'm glad so many people enjoyed the first chapter. Likewise, I hope that you'll enjoy this one.
> 
> Once again, I have no timeline for chapter three, but do plan on writing it at some point.
> 
> I have tried my best with the combat so that it's relatable to the game but also doesn't sound too static. I feel like it can definitely be improved but you can decide that for yourself.
> 
> Lastly, I don't know why, but this document was filled with small errors and some nonsensical sentences both times I edited it. I hope I found them all but I doubt it.
> 
> Enjoy.

Chapter 2: The Collapse of Lust

_Monday April 18_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning_

"Hey Ren, do you have a minute?"

"…Of course, Ms. Kawakami." Accepting his teacher's proposal, Ren nodded politely before following her out of the classroom. Looking at the clock as he left, there were only five minutes or so until class began. Running through the possibilities, Ren didn't like the options he came up with. There was no way that Kamoshida had pushed through the expulsion request, Ren should have another two weeks. Two weeks to change Kamoshida's heart and ensure that Ren's life wasn't completely ruined for absolutely no reason besides the guy didn't like him.

"Don't worry," Kawakami soothed him, perhaps noticing the worried lines beginning to etch his face. "I just wanted to ask you a couple questions."

Coming to the guidance office, the pair of them paused as the door opened before them. From within the room filed out four people, three of which Ren knew. The first was Mr. Kamoshida, the teacher smirking as they made eye contact, however the two girls behind him instantly drew Ren's attention instead.

He'd encountered both at different points last week. Although he knew neither of their names, seeing them together Ren was able to put one and one together. The similar height, identical builds, they were sisters most likely, or cousins at the furthest. Ren had initially been put off by the severe difference in hair and eye colour and hadn't been able to put it together at first.

"Oh, Senpai…" the brown-haired one said surprised.

"S-senpai!?" The red-haired one followed up almost inaudibly.

"You know him, Yoshizawa-san?" Kamoshida asked surprised, only hearing the first girl's utterance. "As I believe I mentioned earlier, there are some students you absolutely shouldn't converse with, this one's at the top of the list."

"W-wait, are you…" Cutting the red-haired girl off, the fourth man wearing a suit answered. "Yes, this is the delinquent transfer student. The school thought it would look good if they could rehabilitate him. It's turning out to be more work than expected…"

_Rehabilitated._

God how Ren was growing to hate that word.

"We need to use the guidance office if your done…" Ms. Kawakami reminded Kamoshida and the man in the suit.

"Of course," Kamoshida smiled happily, "I'm glad to see you're dealing with the issue already. Good luck! Oh, and Mr. Vice Principal, a word please?"

As the two of them walked away, Ren turned back to the two students that were still staring at him with very different expressions. Just as the red-haired one opened her mouth to say something, the brown-haired one elbowed her in the side. With a small squeak the two girls bowed and departed.

Closing the door roughly behind him, Kawakami sat down angrily, "please tell me you didn't make a pass at _both_ Yoshizawa sisters!?"

"They're cute," Ren replied nonchalantly, an uncharacteristic boldness slipping out of him. It was hard for him to maintain his crafted calm personality after that encounter. The way Kamoshida had slandered him in front of them. While the brown-haired one hadn't been all that surprised, most likely putting together who he was after the conversation last week with Ryuji, the red-haired one had looked crushed. It wasn't the fear that Ren had initially been afraid when he'd met her on the station platform, but it still sucked.

She'd quite obviously looked up to him as someone who helped people. Now, she was seeing what she thought were his true colours. A delinquent with an assault on his record. With Kamoshida here fanning the flames, who knows what else has been spread around the school.

"Well, I can't say you're wrong, and it's not as if they acted like you had abused them… but, hey wait! This isn't what we're supposed to be talking about!"

Raising an eye, Ren conveyed his feelings about the hypocritical statement. Kawakami had started the conversation.

"A little advice," Kawakami added, ignoring her own statement, "stay away from them. If Kamoshida's interested in them, you need to not be."

"Why?" Ren asked dully.

"Are you serious? I don't know what happened between the two of you, but he appears to have it out for you. Your homework has been well done and you seem like a good student…" Kawakami trailed off, sorrow filling her eyes. For the first time, Ren saw more than a tired teacher that barely cared about her duties. There was something in her past that had forced her to become this way. "Look… Never mind about that. Kamoshida hinted that your name may come up in the next faculty meeting for expulsion. Don't do _anything_ that can give him an excuse to do so."

Standing up, Kawakami looked hesitant about returning to class, even though first bell would chime any second.

"I… I want to fight for you… Never mind." Letting out a large sigh, Kawakami exited the room and guided them back to the classroom.

Resting casually in his seat, Ren examined Kawakami with new interest. None of her words had been positive, but Ren accepted that. Even her uncaring aura was many times better than Kamoshida's smug one. The thought of his sly grin as he dragged Ren's reputation through the mud in front of the girls made his blood boil.

_I will change his heart._

Reaffirming the decision in his heart, Ren tried to pay attention to the day's lectures as the annoying cat in his desk kept prodding him and asking questions.

* * *

_Tuesday April 19_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Sumire fiddled her thumbs as she tried to pay attention to class. That turned out to be increasingly challenging, however, as her conversation with Kasumi two days ago kept echoing over and over, brought on by the meeting yesterday. Each sentence, each small interaction played in excruciating detail as Sumire kept going over the same point repeatedly. That, no matter how she looked it at, it seemed inconceivable that the faculty and parents didn't know about Kamoshida's actions and therefore must support them.

_Was the volleyball team really that important?_

Sumire just couldn't wrap her head around it. The tale Kasumi told had been just so strange, so horrible. Now, overlaid with the image of that second-year girl, laying on gurney, legs swollen and broken as the EMS tried to save her, Sumire placed another figure. A faceless boy howling in pain as he grasped his broken knee. Standing over them, Sumire saw Kamoshida's face, smirking at them. His expression indicating that it was their fault for not obeying orders.

"Hey? Are you paying attention?"

Pursing her lips, Sumire wondered if there was something she could do. Kasumi had said not to get involved, but she was overprotective…

"Kids today…"

"…!?" Gasping Sumire felt a malevolent will directed towards her. A force that she'd felt briefly once before and wanted nothing to do with ever again. Looking up just in time, the piece of chalk caught Sumire squarely in the center of her forehead. The speed behind it was immense.

"Eep!" Squeaking pathetically, Sumire flushed a bright red as the entire class locked unto her and her repeated failings. Jumping from the impact, Sumire's elbow bumped into her textbook and notes that she'd pulled out to use this class.

" _Thump!"_

Wincing, Sumire ducked her head as the textbook collided loudly with the floor, loose sheets of paper flying about.

Body shaking, Sumire sat still, head to her chest as she felt Ushimaru's glare rest solely upon her. Only the embarrassment kept her from grasping her forehead and crying in pain.

_That chalk hurt!_

"This is the second time already I've had to teach you this lesson!" Mr. Ushimaru raged; his voice barely contained. "For an honor's student, you certainly seem to do a lot more daydreaming than studying!"

"S-sorry…" Sumire's quiet voice trickled out of existence well before it reached the teacher. Hearing nothing, he continued his rant.

"Let me guess, you think that you'll always be a gymnast. That you'll coast through life on athletic ability. Well let me give you a rude awakening! Nobody cares about your obscure sport! Even if you were to win at the Olympics in it, no one will remember you outside a select few fanatics. There's no money in the sport, so focus on your education, damn it!

"If you want to see what an athlete should be, look no further than Mr. Kamoshida. He's an upstanding gentleman that not only won glory for our country but is now shaping the minds and bodies of the next generation to ensure they are well prepared to face the world of today!"

"A-as you say, sir…" Mumbling a tiny bit louder, the teacher was able to catch the words this time.

"Good!" Ushimaru continued, too impassioned to return to the lecture. "This is an excellent time to remind you that as individuals going to be entering society as adults in only a few years, you need to learn what you can now so that you can live a respectable life.

"Just look at that transfer student! Late on his first day, already he's zoned out and I had to teach him the chalk lesson! School is your last chance to forge who you are! Who do you want to end up like, Mr. Kamoshida, or the transfer student?"

Finally ending the lecture on… Sumire wasn't quite sure what, Mr. Ushimaru turned back to the blackboard. However, despite the chalk, she found herself more distracted than before. Moving as quietly as she could, Sumire retrieved her textbook and papers.

_Only the delinquent transfer helped me…_

Returning to her desk, Sumire looked around at her fellow students. While she had gotten a few looks of sympathy, no one had helped her pick up her materials.

It brought Sumire's mind firmly back to the final question that Mr. Ushimaru had posed. Who would she rather resemble? The boy that actually helped people, or Kamoshida who strutted around and wanted people to wait on him?

_It's a lot easier to be Kamoshida._

In some ways, Sumire found herself identifying far more with Kamoshida. The things he'd said during that meeting this morning. How he was hoping to be able to 'guide' Sumire and Kasumi during their time at school. Aiding them with the challenges of competing on an international stage as that time drew closer.

It almost made Sumire want to puke as they thought about it. How she and her sister were essentially mini-Kamoshida's. Symbols put on a pedestal by the school in order to make it look good. Nothing more than a fancy figurehead.

_A figurehead that needs to get good results._

Feeling sick to her stomach, Sumire clutched her gut with both hands as she bent her head over her desk. There was no chance of her absorbing any of the material now. No doubt that was how that boy saw her now. No different from Kamoshida, lording her honor student status over the rest of the school.

All of her thinking finally led Sumire onto her last subject. The target that she'd avoiding trying to think of until now. That boy, her senpai, the delinquent transfer student. It didn't seem possible. He was so calm, so kind, he looked so composed.

_So much more mature than hopeless Sumire._

Once again that thought flitted through her mind like a spring breeze. The image of the boy that she'd begun to forge a relationship with on the day before school was being eroded by the rumours. Sumire wanted to know the truth, but on the other hand… She was scared, so scared to hear what it actually was.

Had she been deluding herself the whole time? Was his kindness simply because he was thinking about Sumire as a potential target? Was that calm aura simply a result of the time he'd spent behind bars?

Knowing she was getting nowhere as the never-ending questions continued to flow, Sumire rubbed her eyes and looked back up towards the blackboards. Throwing herself into the lecture, Sumire hoped it would distract her.

* * *

_Tuesday April 19_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Kasumi stretched once as she looked at the clock. It was ticking closer and closer to her self-imposed bedtime. It was the exact same as Sumire's, 11 pm on the nose. Looking around the room, Kasumi wasn't sure what to do to distract herself. She'd been running into this problem more and more as the final fifteen minutes of the day ticked away. There was precious little to occupy her time when she was finished training and homework. Before, when Kasumi returned home, she'd eat supper and then go to bed. Any extra time was spent talking with Sumire.

Now, Kasumi had spent that extra bit studying. Tonight, however, looking at her bag made her want to barf. She'd memorized literally everything the teachers had talked about. Kasumi had naturally been on top academically and now that she'd gotten past not tutoring Sumire, Kasumi felt that same ease return. All the bonus studying felt unnecessary and tedious.

"I need to find a hobby or something…"

Shaking her head, Kasumi collapsed on the bed and tried to think of one. The only other thing she'd really done in her life was play some baseball. Shopping with Sumire didn't count as a hobby. Neither of which could be done for an hour before bed.

" _Knock, knock._ May I come in?"

"Sumire?" Bolting upright at the sound of her sister's voice, Kasumi ran to the door. Flinging it open, there was her sister, standing hesitantly on the other side. "Of course! You're always welcome. It's a little late for homework help though."

"T-that's not it!" Sumire denied, whipping her head back and forth. Kasumi had to take a step back to avoid the long hair whipping towards her. "I… I want to talk."

"Yes…" Unsure of what to say, Kasumi moved out of the way, returning to her bed so that Sumire could sit at the desk.

Watching her sister, cautiously, Kasumi waited for her to begin to talk. However, as thirty seconds and then a minute went by, Sumire merely kept alternating between examining the room, nearly identical to hers, and looking at her hands. Trying to not get impatient, Kasumi looked at her clock that had just ticked over to 11 pm.

"Look, Sumi…"

"Did you know…"

Talking over each other, Kasumi cut off her words as her sister randomly exploded, standing up from the chair at the same time.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Sumire pled, "please finish."

"No, you," Kasumi insisted with a light laugh. "I was just trying to get you to talk."

"Oh… I guess you need to go to sleep, huh?"

"Are you no longer sleeping on time?" Kasumi frowned, picking up on the new information. "You should know how important a rigorous sleep schedule with adequate time is in maintaining your health…"

"Haha…" Sumire laughed awkwardly, breaking eye contact.

Frowning at her, Kasumi waited patiently for her explanation.

"I guess I realized… There's no point trying to enforce a bedtime if I can't fall asleep anyway, you know? So, I just sleep when I'm tired…"

"That's bad logic," Kasumi argued back, "the whole point of maintaining a time is to teach your body to _be_ tired at that specific time. If there's a time you need to get up, like us, then it is essential that you get a full eight hours as it's the optimal…"

"I get it!" Sumire retorted, breaking Kasumi's lesson on sleep. "I grew up learning the same things as you!"

"…Sorry," Kasumi apologized after a moment's pause. "I just want what's best for you."

"…Thank you," Sumire replied weakly. "I'm trying to figure out what that is as well…"

"…So," Kasumi said a moment later with forced cheerfulness. "What did you want to talk about?"

"R-right," Sumire squeaked. "Y-yesterday morning… Umm, uh, well, I noticed that uh… You…"

Blinking, Kasumi looked on humorously as her sister mumbled in obvious discomfort. Swaying to side-to-side, Kasumi thought her sister looked like a child that was attempting to tell their parents about an accident. "Take a breath," Kasumi recommended.

Doing so, Sumire took a moment to steady herself. Opening her eyes a couple seconds later, Sumire uttered the words in a lightning blur. "Didyouknowthatboyfromyesterday?"

"…What?"

"Umm… After our meeting with Kamoshida… the boy… did you know him?"

"Oh," Kasumi muttered, confused by the question. "Well yes, he was the one that was with Sakamoto-senpai. The one whose story I told you."

"Oh… Umm… W-what… do you think about him?"

Tilting her head in confusion, Kasumi considered the question. "I guess… I feel sorry for him?"

"Huh?"

"Well, all those rumours about him that are circulating through the school, they just seem so fake. Even the original ones about an assault on his case, that's probably true, but I don't think he's a bad person."

"…"

"Why are you asking though?"

Saying nothing again, a tinge of colour touched Sumire's cheeks.

"Oh…" Kasumi emphasized, a knowing smile touching her lips. "I see how it is. Did you give up on the boy you saw on that Sunday?"

"…They'rethesame."

"What was that?"

"T-they are the same person…"

Cackling to herself, Kasumi feel over onto the bed grasping her stomach. No wonder Sumire had come in here, she was looking for information.

"Why are you laughing at me!?"

Her sister's pathetic whine merely sent Kasumi into further hysterics. Hitting the bed with one hand, she could feel the tears coming on. Her sister's calm senpai is a renowned delinquent feared the school over.

"Stop it!" Running over, Sumire began to weakly punch Kasumi's back in hopes of breaking her from her laughter. Unfortunately, the attempts only further incensed her.

"…I'm sorry!" Pleading weakly with her sister, Kasumi tried to get her laughter under control as Sumire looked on, her entire face glowing red from embarrassment.

"Grr…" Growling weakly, Sumire gave up on hitting Kasumi and instead began sulking as Kasumi pulled herself back into a sitting position.

"Is that all?"

"Well… You have to promise no more laughing fits."

"I should be good now," Kasumi assured her, wiping her eyes one final time. "Why don't you sit on the bed and we can keep talking?"

"S-sure." Hesitantly taking the offer, Sumire positioned herself awkwardly on the edge, almost as far away from Kasumi as she could place herself.

"I also wanted to talk to you about Mr. Kamoshida some more…"

Narrowing her eyes, Kasumi felt the conversation taking a dangerous turn.

"He seems to hate the transfer student."

"…Was there a question there?"

"Well… Isn't it strange?" Sumire spat out, turning to look at Kasumi.

Locking eyes with her sister, Kasumi was able to see the confusion swirling about. Also, a strange determination. A dangerous determination.

Pondering her question, Kasumi played with the blanket beside her. It was a soft red colour, almost the exact same shade as Sumire's hair. The fabric was also identical to the bed in Sumire's room, only the colour was different.

"Actually… If I think about it, it doesn't seem strange at all."

"Huh?"

Sighing, Kasumi shook her head at her sister's cluelessness. "What's the most important thing to Kamoshida?"

"Umm… Looking good ? Or I mean, being important?"

Nodding along with her words Kasumi felt like she really shouldn't say anything more. But Sumire was smart, she'd come to the same conclusion. "I actually looked up how the track team was at Shujin academy before it got shut down. It was good. At least equal to their volleyball team. So, Kamoshida got it shut down. Something he doesn't have to compete with."

"Where are you going?" Sumire asked suspiciously.

Smiling softly at her sister that had unconsciously allowed herself to get comfortable, Kasumi continued. "Well, Kamoshida wants to be the 'king', right? So, anyone that takes attention away from him needs to be dealt with. The transfer student is an easy one. No doubt, the plan was to hide his record form the school, and then reveal it later, maybe near the end of the year, that he had a record, and the school was able to shelter him and guide him back toward the right path or some other nonsense."

"…"

Lapsing into silence, Kasumi watched Sumire as she mumbled to herself, turning the words over in her mind. Although she knew it was impolite, Kasumi pulled her cell phone from her pajama pocket. She couldn't help but wince at the time. It was already a quarter past.

"So…" Sumire started speaking slowly, "you think Kamoshida spread the rumours about the transfer in order to discredit him… then… the transfer student drops out?"

Tilting her head at that, Kasumi realized she hadn't considered it either. Kamoshida eventually needed a more permanent solution. The rumours would die in a couple months. Nothing kept people's attention for very long. Especially if the transfer student didn't do anything, people would get bored of him like a bear in a zoo that sleeps the whole day away.

"But… what about us?"

With Sumire already moving on, Kasumi tried to catch up to where her sister's thoughts had gone. "What about us?"

"Aren't we a threat to Kamoshida as well?"

"W-well…" Stuttering, Kasumi realized she didn't have a good answer for her sister as she thought it over. It was unlikely Kamoshida would tolerate students at his school that were as famous as he is. Except… "The meeting…"

Snapping her fingers, all of the vague promises they mentioned came into clarity for Kasumi. How Kamoshida was planning on dealing with them.

"That's what he meant? Isn't it?" Sumire asked dully. "Why he wants to 'guide' us. So that we look like nothing more than his pupils. Then…"

"When we do well, he looks good," Kasumi finished with a wince.

A long silence lapsed between the girls as they dreaded the circumstances that had thrust upon them. Kasumi didn't know what to say at this point. Kamoshida was an unexpected problem. And, for almost the first time, one she didn't know how to deal with.

"…I don't understand."

"Huh?" Glancing over at her sister, Kasumi was shocked to see small tears dropping from her face at timed intervals. The water leaving shiny streaks upon her cheeks.

"How did this happen? Teachers… They-they're supposed to help their students. To _teach_ them. Shouldn't the adults be able to fix this? To notice the pain that he is causing and remove him?"

"…" The words, 'I don't know', almost escaped Kasumi's lips. Instead, she scooted closer to Sumire, wrapping an arm around her waist, drawing her close.

Sighing at the contact, Sumire snuggled into it, placing her head on Kasumi's shoulder.

Taking a moment to rub her sister's back, Kasumi thought over the words she needed to say. "Look, Kamoshida, no, _Mr._ Kamoshida, is simply something we need to put up with. As long as we don't give him any reason to single us out anymore, we can get through school and focus on gymnastics. Then, someday, we'll be free from here, sitting with Olympic medals around our necks eating ice cream.

Snorting through her tears, Sumire's face broke into a smile at Kasumi's antics. "That ice cream is important to you, isn't it?"

"Of course!" Kasumi replied indignantly, "we forged our promise over the ice cream!"

"Hehe," Sumire giggled, the tears finally ending for good. "Sometimes I think you like ice cream more than me."

"I've been found out!" Kasumi teased back.

"Hmm, I see," Sumire answered, struggling to find an appropriate reply. Instead, her whole demeanour changed as she realized something. "Hey, do you know the transfer student's name?"

"Oh…" Strangely, Kasumi felt a desire to lie to her sister. To say she didn't. Yet, as she looked into her earnest red eyes, Kasumi relented with a sigh. The single word that Sakamoto had let slip. "I believe it's Ren."

"Ren…" Sumire murmured.

Looking at her sister, Kasumi couldn't help but wince. Is that what she looked like when she'd tested it out?

"I want to ask him about the truth…"

"Alright, little love bird," Kasumi teased again with a shake of her head. "It's time for bed. You can stay here if you want."

"I… I can stay!?"

"Was that hard to understand?" Kasumi asked with a shake of her head. Unwrapping herself from Sumire, Kasumi checked the time again and tsked as the clock read over half past 11. This conversation took a strangely long amount of time. Turning it off, Kasumi found the charger so that it would be full battery for tomorrow.

"You got a new phone for your birthday, right?" Sumire asked suddenly from the bed.

"Yes," Kasumi answered, shooting her a puzzled look. "You were out of it that day, but still paying attention I thought."

"R-right…" Sumire muttered. "Maybe that's what I should have asked for…"

"Yours is bad?" Kasumi questions interestedly as she turns back to the bed. "It's only what? One year, two? That's why you got those cooking books and other things instead, yes?"

"Almost two," Sumire sighed. "But, umm… you remember the day… In the rain…"

Blinking in confusion, it clicked for Kasumi a couple minutes later. The car had soaked Sumire. Her phone was probably in the jacket pocket and had gotten drenched as well.

"A-anyway, I guess I'll head back…"

"If you're sure…" Kasumi answered weakly. Unable to resist any longer, she pulled Sumire into a tight hug. "No matter what, I'll always be your friend, okay?"

"U-umm…. Okay?"

Holding on for a few seconds longer, Kasumi released her sister and watched sadly as Sumire retreated back to her own bed. Sighing, Kasumi remembered fondly the days when they'd just moved from bunk beds to separate rooms. Every night they'd flip a coin to decide which bed they slept in. Those years, long past now, felt almost magical to Kasumi now. A closeness to her sister that she wasn't sure she'd ever get back again.

* * *

_Wednesday April 20_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Joker watched on in terror as the twins, Caroline and Justine, began their work. With brutal precision, they took his personas tied them up and stuck them into a guillotine. Swallowing expectantly, Joker couldn't rip his gaze away as the steel blades, tipped with glowing cyan energy were released from their holders. Propelled by gravity, they slammed viciously into the bound forms of the personas. Rather than blood though, they dissolved into strands of energy, energy that subsequently flew together, fusing, and forming a new shape.

"Me Agathion. Me new mask."

Blinking at the strange creature in a jar, Joker nodded in acceptance as the persona became energy once more and fused with him. Searching deep inside, Joker could no longer feel Arsene, the persona he'd first awoken to. Nor pixie, the girlish persona he'd recruited later. Instead, only a single solid presence lurked inside him.

Even without summoning it, or seeing it fight, Joker could tell that this jar was stronger than any of his previous personas. However, the loss of versatility meant that it wasn't necessarily an upgrade.

"Don't be alarmed," Igor chuckled, "this is a necessary process so that you can continue to strengthen your personas. That is why it is critical you bring as many to your side as possible."

Frowning, Joker felt like he understood. He'd been here enough at this point that the bizarre second world was something he was beginning to take seriously. It was a real and tangible place, filled with people, well, beings more accurately.

"Also, you may withdraw any previously registered persona by utilizing the compendium that Justine is keeping for you."

"Huh?" That bit going over his head, Joker turned his gaze towards where Justine stood, a large book perched under her left arm. Was that the compendium?

"Would you like to engage my services, inmate?"

"Y-yes?"

Flipping open, the book, Joker felt his vision replaced with many lines of orderly text. As he imagined it moving, the lines scrolled before his eyes, almost every single one empty. As he looked, he found three entries: Arsene, Pixie, and Agathion. The last had a mask symbol hovering over its name. The other two, instead had a price listed.

"Are you making my pay to restore their power?" Joker asked disbelievingly.

"Of course," Justine answered coldly, frowning disapprovingly. "Power does not come for free. It takes a sacrifice to restore a persona that has been lost to the sea of souls. The stronger the persona, the larger the sacrifice."

"You should feel grateful inmate!" Caroline broke in. "Our services will allow you to unleash your full potential!"

"Umm, thanks?"

"That's right, cry tears of joy, inmate!"

"…" Unsure how to reply, Joker looked back to Igor and away from the wardens that he'd managed to upset once again.

Chuckling lowly, Igor spoke a final time. "Congratulations on beginning to form relationships with the ones around you. Now, use this new power wisely in order to investigate the metaverse."

Suddenly, Joker felt like he understood the man sitting in front of him more. In doing so, Joker grasped access to power that had been beyond him mere seconds before. An otherworldly power granted by a being he could only begin to guess at.

Nodding his head in thanks, Joker left the prison and returned to the castle from which he had been summoned.

"What you spacing out over here for?" Skull asked, returning from where the three of them had been heading towards the ventilation shaft to begin investigation.

For a brief second, Joker considered telling them. Mentioning the velvet room that allowed him to fully bring out the power of the wild card that he'd been granted. However, thinking about the hassle that would be, Joker merely shook his head in reply. "It was nothing, let's get going. Oh, and thanks for joining us Panther."

Sending her a sly wink, Joker waved his hand and beckoned them further into the palace. This would be hard, but with four of them, they'd manage.

_*One Hour Later*_

"I'm not going to make to make it." Skull moaned as they relaxed in a safe room. "This is exhausting. There are so many of them!"

"Oh, quit your whining skull!" Mona shot right back, but the words didn't have the usual bite to them. It sounded, that like Skull, he was feeling the exhaustion of the numerous fights.

"I… Have to agree…" Panther moaned, sprawled across the table. "This sucks."

Looking over them, Joker felt some sympathy for them, yet didn't feel the same ache that they were complaining about. Having picked up a couple of personas, Joker had received far fewer attacks that struck his weakness. The others had to deal with having one persona and one static weakness. By changing his, Joker had been able to generally avoid attacks to his based on his growing knowledge of the personas.

"Let's check out the next area," Joker suggested. "I have some medicine we can use to restore our bodies for now. After we see what's in that big room on the map, we will retreat for the day."

All three of them nodded graciously. They didn't even pretend that they wanted to keep going. "Let's get this over with then," Skull whined again, picking himself back up.

"Remember," Joker intercepted them before they could leave. "We are doing this not only for us, but Shiho, and everyone else that Kamoshida has, and is going to abuse."

The speech wasn't much but it did light a fire in their eyes. Panther in particular looked charged up to keep going, the mention of her best friend's attempted suicide did that.

Leading them out, Joker crossed the next room quickly. It was similar to the one they'd found the second half of the map in. However, this one had only the inner pillars and no metal grates, or anything of note. Dismissing it, Joker led them further.

"A church?" Murmuring the words to himself, Joker walked slowly between the pews. All of them pointing towards… a statue of Kamoshida. It seemed that here he wasn't just a king, but a god as well.

"How despicable," Panther spat, glaring at the grotesque masonry.

"This is… the gym?" Skull asked as the cognition distorted before him.

"This is a place of strong distortion," Mona warned, "we should be careful and not…"

"WHO DARES DISTURB THE ALTAR OF THE MOST HIGH KING KAMOSHIDA?"

The voices sounded out, accompanied by the ringing of trumpets as a guard captain materialized before them. Its golden armour sparkled brightly. From it, Joker sensed a powerful aura. This enemy was beyond any they had faced so far.

"YOU INTRUDERS SHALL PAY WITH YOUR LIVES!"

Armour breaking apart, the shadow materialized, many bands of power rising and forming into a cohesive shape. Hovering a few feet off the ground, the man-shaped shadow was dressed in full armour, with a longsword in its right hand. Flying with feathered red wings, the being represented a weird take on a Judaeo-Christian angel, the armour adding a strange touch. This was clearly no peaceful entity, but a being designed to exact the wrath of god.

"First a demon, and now an angel, let's go," trying to make light of the powerful foe in front of them, Joker led them into battle against the shadow.

"HIYAH!"

Crying out, the heavenly punisher surrounded itself with an aura of energy. There was no other way to describe it, Joker felt as though it had charged up, giving its next physical attack great strength.

Waffling with indecision, Joker held off on attacking, instead choosing to guard himself. In doing so, he hoped the others would follow his lead. Indeed, one after another, both Skull and Panther guarded, waiting to see what kind of devastating power this shadow would unleash upon them.

"Heh, witness my resolve! Zorro!" Smirking at them, Mona called forth his persona and used the wind attack upon the waiting angel. It struck, dealing decent damage, but like Joker predicted, even a full round of attacks would not be enough to bring this thing down.

Turning towards his sole attacker, and the lone person unguarded, the shadow drew back his sword and struck, the cleave attack identical to the one that Arsene was able to use. However, the damage was in an entirely different world, as the attack, propelled forward by the might of its charge skill struck Mona and the aura of his persona which guarded him.

"Hrngg!" Crying out Mona fell to the ground, his stamina fully depleted by the blow. "Sorry, guys, I'm going to back out of this one…" Retreating out of the battle line-up, Mona hid behind the back altar, only available now to provide guidance.

"Let's go, Agathion, Eiga!" Utilizing its inheritance from Arsene, Joker called forth lines of dark power to strike at the Heavenly Punisher that had done away with Mona in one hit. Landing a solid blow, its health decreased again, but still stayed well above the halfway point.

"Guess, I'm next, Zio!"

"Follow up Carmen!"

One after another the lightning and fire consumed the heavenly punisher, their combined damage hitting for less than Joker's one attack.

"Neither of those attacks are effective!" Mona called out from the back. "Try something else!"

Tsking angrily, Joker could only watch as the Heavenly Punisher moved again. Waiting for another attack, or for it to charge up again, the window of time for its move came and went as it floated there listlessly.

"That attack must take a lot out of it!" Mona advised.

"Agreed!" Joker called out, smiling wildly at his foe. "Fill it with holes!" Pulling out his gun, Joker unloaded the entire clip into his floating foe, the entire round doing more damage than his last attack had.

Following him up, First skull, and than Panther with her spray and pray machine gun took off a large percentage of their foe's remaining stamina.

"FOR KING KAMOSHIDA!" Calling out again, the shadow refused to die, and once again surrounded itself with that powerful energy.

Gritting his teeth, Joker tried to analyze how much damage the beast could sustain. It would be close, but… "Get it!" Calling out his strategy, Joker couldn't let the shadow get off another round of attacks. It needed to die now. Internally switching personas, Joker called forth a recent acquisition. "Cait Sith!"

The bipedal purple cat wearing boots formed above Joker and struck out at the punisher with a mighty cleave attack, replicating the one that had been used against them.

"Go, Captain Kidd!" Skull called forth his persona soon after, using a lunge attack, it struck the Heavenly Punisher, bringing it to the last remnants of its health.

"Here I go!"

Sharing a worried glance with Skull, Joker's heart was in his throat as excitement and tension pulsed through him. Skull and he had used their own stamina in order to let their persona's directly attack. Carmen didn't have access to such an ability. Therefore, Panther attempted to use her whip to finish the fight.

"Go Panther!" Joker and Skull found themselves crying out in twin support as she brought the whip back to strike.

"Hiyah!" Unrelentingly, Panther tore into the Heavenly Punisher, each strike getting faster and faster as the shadow crippled before her. Finishing it off with one last horizontal strike, Panther bent over panting from the exertion of the amazing attack.

"You're so gorgeous Panther…" Mona added unnecessarily at the end.

"GAH!" Falling to the ground, the Heavenly Punisher didn't have the chance to be held up as the attack stole the rest of its stamina. Beginning to dissolve, the Punisher took one last chance to glare at the ones that had brought it down. "You'll… never win…"

"Yes… We will!" Panther shot back at the end. The words fell on deaf ears as the shadow of the guard captain dissolved into the ground, returning to the sea of souls.

"Shadows!" Mona called returning to the group proper.

Tsking, Joker took a quick look around. No less than four different sets of guards surrounded them. Backing up into a tight circle, this was a fight they couldn't win. Mona was practically gone still and the rest of them were exhausted.

"A grappling point… Hang on everyone!" Barely giving them a second to reply, Joker scooped up Mona as the other two clung to him. Aiming the grappling hook at a guardrail above, Joker let the hook fly, wrapping it around the exact place he'd aimed at. Holding down the retraction button, the four of them took off in one clumsy mess, escaping the four guards that hung out angrily below. Their limited field of view preventing them from locating the fled thieves.

"That was close!" Panther panted, collapsing to the relatively safe ground.

"Too close," Joker agreed. "I get the feeling though that we won't see that shadow again. Let's get out of here for today and return tomorrow."

Despite the exhaustion in their faces, a thin undercurrent of exhilaration was captured in their tight smiles. They hadn't secured a treasure route, but Joker could feel it. They'd gotten a lot closer in their first day of effort.

* * *

_Saturday April 23_ _rd_ _, 20XX After school_

Standing surreptitiously beside the school gate, Sumire attempted to hide her probing eyes behind a book. For some reason, this struck her as an excellent way of hiding. Staring unseeingly at the pages assigned to read for English class, Sumire waited for the person she wanted to see leave the school. For the past week she had figured out his general life: classroom, habits, when he leaves.

Unfortunately, Sumire hadn't progressed very far in nailing down a schedule. Every day seemed to be different. Once he'd hung out with a blond kid, then on Wednesday he'd completely disappeared. Other days it seemed likely that he went straight to his neighbourhood and once he lost Sumire in Shibuya.

Biting her lip, Sumire could only stand around anxiously and wait. Hoping against everything that this was a return home type of day. If he didn't show up…

Growing increasingly nervous, Sumire felt like she could see the judging glare of every student that saw her as they felt. Like they knew about her bad plan and were condemning her. Hands growing sweaty as she restlessly held her book, Sumire found herself swaying side-to-side, obviously not reading.

"Come on Senpai… I need to know…"

As the crowds around the gates thinned out, Sumire couldn't handle it anymore. Essentially everyone who was leaving school had left. Unsure of what her story would be if she encountered him, Sumire re-entered the school. For some reason, she kept the book up obscuring her face. Logically, she knew it didn't help, but it made her feel better and look more inconspicuous. Hopefully.

Tiptoeing through the mostly empty corridors, Sumire glimpsed some students still hanging about, people making weekend plans, or going to do some training, or heading off to a sports activity. Whatever it was they were up to, Sumire continued to slink along, holding out hope that she'd accidently bump into Senpai somewhere around here.

Slowly taking the stairs to the second floor, Sumire stopped suddenly as she recognized a familiar voice. "Kasumi?"

Peering her head around the corner, Sumire stared up the second half of the flight and beyond to where she could just make out the side portrait of her sister's upper body. The angle cutting off everything below her chest. She was talking to…

"S-senpai?" Voice strangling her, Sumire watched in horror as the two of them chatted. Only her sister's higher pitched voice carried far enough for Sumire to make out the words.

"R-really? Well that's a huge relief Senpai! I don't know how to thank you!"

"I… I didn't think…" Continuing to murmur, Sumire didn't know what to do. She couldn't approach the two of them. Standing awfully close together in a corridor with just the two of them.

"Umm, w-well, I'll see you later then!"

_She didn't!_

Mind going blank, Sumire caught a glimpse of the outline of two interlocked hands just entering her field of view before leaving again.

Stumbling backwards, Sumire fled down the stairs and out of the school, book forgotten behind her. In no time, Sumire reached the train platform, catching up to student's that had departed minutes earlier.

"It can't be…"

Trying to deny it to herself, Sumire couldn't work up the confidence to lie. What was the point?

Kasumi Yoshizawa always won.

Kasumi Yoshizawa got everything she wanted.

Now, she was dating the senpai that Sumire had looked up to. The kind boy that had helped her twice. It was unfair, yet that was the way of Sumire's world. No matter how much she'd thought had changed, this inevitable fact stayed constant.

Sumire was the second best of the Yoshizawa sisters and always would be.

* * *

_Sunday April 24_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Kasumi panted as she approached the end of her routine. The new forms were some of the most challenging that she'd ever attempted to execute in a routine before. But now that Kasumi was entering high school, she needed to up her difficulty so that she could stay on top. The meets coming up were important in determining how Kasumi would fair against girls that were also shooting for the top.

Reaching the final pose, Kasumi held her arms up gracefully as she balanced upon one foot. Muscles strained to keep her in place, extreme flexibility and power were required to hold it. After the designated period of time, Kasumi allowed her body to relax, the routine finished.

Approaching coach Hiraguchi, Kasumi waited respectfully to get her thoughts on the routine that Kasumi had performed. Nerves and excitement battled within her. She'd thought the routine went well, but Hiraguchi often managed to find flaws that Kasumi had overlooked.

"That was… interesting."

"Interesting?" Kasumi asked in confusion. She had no idea what that meant.

"Yes. Through your performance, I felt a couple of emotions: confusion, excitement. It definitely showed much potential."

"T-thank you," Kasumi frowned back, focusing on the compliment.

"Do we need to talk about this?" Hiraguchi asked.

"Maybe…" Kasumi admitted. "I'm worried about Sumire."

"Has something happened?" Hiraguchi asked, a worried crease appearing in her face. "I thought you said she was getting better, gaining confidence."

"She was," Kasumi agreed. "We talked a couple times now, each time she's seemed to be if not happier, than more determined. However… Yesterday, I found one of her textbooks on the floor as I was leaving school. I returned it to her bag when I got home, but ever since then, she's looked listless. Lost…"

Hiraguchi scratched her head, clearly unsure about the direction this was going and whether she could help. Glancing at her, Kasumi remembered that she was their gymnastics coach, not a therapist or councillor.

"Anyway, that's about it. I saw her last night as we were heading to bed and smiled at her. I tried to say something, but she glared and shut the door…"

"I understand the confusion now, but what about the excitement?"

Kasumi blushed upon hearing the question, yesterday's conversation flowing through her head.

"Oh, a boy is it?"

"N-no, not like that!" Kasumi protested. "I was just… it's sort of a long story."

"Really?" Hiraguchi queried, "or are you simply embarrassed?"

"Only because you put it that way!' Kasumi whined back. "It really is a long story. The school I started attending this spring received a transfer student. There are horrible rumours circulating the school about him… I know that Sumire really looked up to him, and she hurt not knowing what was true, so I asked him about it. He says that while he has an assault he was falsely accused."

"See?" Hiraguchi smirks, "that wasn't that long. Do you believe him?"

"I do," Kasumi confirmed with a nod. "I just wish Sumire would talk to me so that I could tell her…"

"Well," coach sighed, "the day of practice is done. Your development is coming along well. As for Sumire… She's a complicated one. Just be ready to say your piece when she comes around."

"Thank you, coach!"

Feeling better about the day, Kasumi headed home to get ready for the next week of school that was coming up. It was sure to be an interesting one.

_Sunday April 24_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

Joker looked on from behind cover as he examined the mess before him. Already, the morning had ticked away, hours spent navigating the Palace silently. Each fight taking more and more stamina away from then. According to the map, there was quite a bit left as well. Unfortunate considering the situation facing them.

Nothing so far compared to the terror of seeing these three shadows patrolling the castle rooftop. The red aura surrounding them spoke of the danger they presented. Joker remembered with a shudder the last time they had to fight one of these. The overwhelming power and defense made the fight a struggle. The main issue being that they were unable to find the things weakness. If only there was a way to bring them down, Joker knew that they would be able to crush the strong shadows easily and reap the abundant rewards that the powerful shadows carried.

"What's the call?" Mona asked cautiously, looking around the corner underneath Joker.

"Not sure yet," Joker was forced to answer. "It's hard to say without a good way of fighting them."

The others all nodded in agreement to Joker's assessment of the situation. No one wanted a rematch. It would simply distract them from their final objective of finding the treasure route. Yet, Joker was hesitant to leave them behind. If the enemies here were already proving to be to too strong, what hope did they have against ones further in?

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course!" Skull responded immediately. "Just tell me who to hit!"

Sharing a companionable smile, Joker gathered them together for a quick strategy meeting. After confirming that everyone knew their role, Joker ambushed the first one that came past. Revealing its true form, Joker immediately sent his Cait Sith persona forward to strike with a cleave attack. The stamina loss not too troubling at the moment. Mona and Ryuji followed up as Joker had planned, their physical attacks further bombarding it with damage. Despite their efforts, the shadow still had well over half its health remaining.

"Now Panther!"

Praying that the strategy would work, Joker watched breathlessly as Panther called forth Carmen to unleash her magic. Not the fire that the cavalry persona had proven strong against, but a different type of magic entirely. Forming a circle of power beneath the shadow, instead of an attack, it released bubbles, filled with some sleep-inducing compound, Joker assumed.

True to his wishes, the shadow kneeled its head, falling into a peaceful sleep despite the battle that raged around it. Tsking at it, Joker felt like he could see stamina and energy return to it as it rested.

Not giving it a chance to recover further, Joker called forth Cait Sith once more and instructed it to strike the sleeping shadow. The unguarded foe took immense damage as the attack tore into it. Crying out, the once powerful shadow fell to its knees.

"You did it!"

"Nice going Joker!"

Accepting the compliments wordlessly, Joker flashed the still defiant shadow a tight smile. "Die." Acting as the final signal, the four of them tore into the shadow, extracting the essence that composed it and draining it of the energy that kept it whole.

"Wow… we actually did it…" Panther murmured, staring at the remains of the strong shadow.

"We did," Joker agreed shortly. "But we aren't done yet. I can feel the power coursing through me after that one."

Leading the group back to cover, Joker waited for the next one and aimed to replicate the strategy. The oblivious shadow walked straight past, totally unconcerned about the absence of its ally and where it used to be. Joker could only chalk this up to the shadows truly being fragments of personas that had been bound into servitude by the palace rulers. While they would hunt for intruders, they did it poorly, having limited senses available to them while in the restricted form that the ruler imagined their servants.

Jumping out of cover, the ambush worked identically to the last, it was only when the fight started that Joker realized his mistake. He hadn't healed his stamina before engaging the next battle. Groaning at his foolish mistake, he didn't dare call forth Cait Sith and inflict more damage upon himself. Instead, charging forward himself, Joker attacked the mounted shadow with his knife; bullets unable to damage it.

"Let's go!" Repeating their attacks, the shadow continued to take damage, so similar to last time. Panther as well, stepped forward, the sleep ability that her persona possesses inflicting the ailment.

Time of reckoning nigh, Joker called forth Cait Sith, pounding the shadow once again with the Cleave ability, intent on knocking it to its knees.

"Gragh!" Yelling in pain, the shadow took the increased damage as it woke up. Unfortunately, its eyes were open and full of bloodlust. Turning them on Joker, the shadow leapt forward, halberd descending to cleave the life from him. Hoping it wouldn't be enough, Joker audibly groaned as he felt the blow drain almost all of his remaining stamina. Hanging on by slivers, Joker fell to one knee panting.

"I got you!" Panicking, Mona instantly utilized Zorro's abilities to restore his health. Feeling a little better, Joker picked himself up, however, the situation was quickly deteriorating as the members began to panic.

"Don't touch him!" Roaring Skull unleashed his lightning skill. As Joker was starting to appreciate, that while his physical attacks were quite strong, Skull's magic didn't pack the same punch as the other two's did.

"Yeah!" Following up on Skull's mistake, Ann used Carmen's fire skill to try and singe the shadow. Seeing it coming, the shadow stepped nimbly out of the way as the blast went wide.

"Calm down!" Joker commanded; regrettably, his words fell on deaf ears as the shadow reared, ready to attack someone else.

"FOR KING KAMOSHIDA!" Turning towards its most resent assailant, the Brutal Cavalryman brought its halberd down on an unsuspecting Ann. The attack did immense damage, sending her down to the floor as she fell over with only a sliver of stamina remaining.

"Panther!" Crying her name, Joker and the others were left stunned as the Cavalryman man wheeled and barreled straight at Mona, their healer. Using the time bought against Panther, the shadow was able to get two attacks off instead of one.

"We need to finish this!" Trying to mobilize them after the disaster that had ensued, Joker rushed it, knife swinging. Taking its stamina even lower, the shadow was almost ready to collapse.

Backing off, Joker watched breathlessly as Mona and Skull followed up, dealing with the threat by utilizing their most damaging moves. Inflicting large damage, the shadow breathed heavily, a stiff breeze away from fading back into the energy that it had come from.

"Finish it Panther!" Ordering her, Joker knew it was a risk. If she missed, the shadow would be free to start finishing them off one by one. Three of them were now only a hit away from death.

"I got this!" Roaring her acceptance, Panther pushed herself forward, whip swinging in hopes of sealing the deal. The injured shadow tried to sidestep, knowing that this attack would finish it off.

Staggering under its injuries, it collapsed as the whip screamed down at its head. Blowing it open, the shadow exploded into smoke as Panther dealt the killing blow.

"You're so gorgeous Panther…" Mona mumbled once again.

Shaking his head at the strange cat, Joker lead the four of them back to the roof entrance. Collapsing in a heap, they shared looks of mutual understanding. They couldn't take the third one in this condition. Hell, they couldn't continue at all unless they healed up.

"Mona, you use Zorro to heal yourself and Skull. I'll deal with Panther and myself." Orders given, Joker ignored the strange looks he received and carried out his part of the deal.

"Why?" Panther asked, as Joker performed the restoration on the two of them. "I could have helped as well."

"I need your mind intact," Joker argued back. "You need to be able to put any shadows to sleep, that way we can still fight or flee as needed."

"So," Skull groaned, stretching from the depleted stamina that he'd used to inflict damage these past two fights. "We going to try and get around this next guy?"

Giving them a daring smile, Joker asked a question. "Want to go for another ride?"

As their faces paled, Joker laughed and led them onwards. Abusing the grappling hook, they were through and moving onwards in no time at all. Stronger in some ways, weaker in others. But no doubt more knowledgeable about the risks and methods available to fight shadows.

* * *

_Sunday April 24_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Sumire sat at her desk, struggling to read the weekend's homework as her mind was filled with the exact same thing. "Stupid Kasumi… So smart, so pretty."

Growling to herself, the lines of the page in front of her were nonsense. They didn't matter. Only the lost, confused feeling within her chest. During supper, Sumire had spent the whole time avoiding her sister's gaze. She longed to talk to Kasumi, to ask her why she did it. But she couldn't. Sumire wasn't ready. She couldn't fake the happiness for her yet. She doubted she ever would.

Sulking even further, Sumire tried to release her rage by turning the page. Grabbing the corner and ripping it across a terrible ripping sound was accompanied by a hot burning in her finger. Staring down at it in horror, Sumire watched as a drop of blood welled up and began to run down to her hand.

"Ow, ow, ow." Mumbling from the pain, Sumire clutched her finger in her other hand. The pressure helping to reduce that strange, burning pain that papercuts left behind.

As it finally subsided, Sumire glared at where the torn page of the textbook sat, connected to its original position through only a couple inches of unripped page. "Mr. Ushimaru is going to kill me." Groaning, Sumire ditched her desk for now and collapsed on the bed, finger still gripped tightly in her hand.

"This is all Kasumi's fault…"

Yet as she mumbled the words, Sumire had to accept that they weren't true. It was her fault. If only she wasn't so weak.

"If only I could have talked to him then… Asked about the truth… At least then I wouldn't have lost my…"

Sitting bolt upright, Sumire finally pieced together the irregularity that had plagued her since yesterday. Returning to the desk, Sumire flipped the book over so that she could she the front cover. There was no doubt about it.

"I dropped this…"

Examining it, the clues were all there. The bent corner, the dirt stains covering some of the pages.

"Kasumi…"

The obvious answer came to Sumire quickly. She must have found it when she walked down the stairs to come home. Another favour her sister had done for her.

"Why am I so useless…"

" _Knock, knock."_

"Huh?" Turning to the sound emanating from her door, Sumire waited hesitantly for the person to identify themselves.

"It's Kasumi… Can I talk to you?"

Bowing her head, Sumire wasn't sure if she was ready for this conversation. To hear why Kasumi had asked out a guy that Sumire was obviously interested in. Kasumi knew that Sumire was too cowardly to make a move.

"Look Sumire, I'm not sure what I did to upset you, but I won't be able to correct it if you don't tell me!"

"…Hell you don't know."

"What was that?" Kasumi's voice rang a little louder through the door. "I didn't catch it. Although, if you're willing to talk to me, I have some good news…"

Sumire narrowed her eyes at the predictable bait. All too often she'd heard her sister say something like that. Usually to get Sumire to open up after a failed meet where Kasumi took home gold and Sumire was left with nothing.

"Fine!" Kasumi eventually sighed with exhaustion. "I'll just tell you the news since you aren't answering me! I actually talked to that exchange student yesterday after school…"

"Shut up!" Sumire shouted, unable to take the taunting voice any longer. Running over to her door, she ripped it open, facing Kasumi's shocked face head on. "I know, alright!? You picked up my book for me! I saw the two of you… So happy together. So… So just leave me alone…"

Murmuring the final word, Sumire couldn't look at Kasumi any longer. Allowing the door to slowly close again once more, Sumire stumbled over to her bed and collapsed upon it. Tears flowing freely now, Sumire cried herself to sleep, unheeding the disbelieving presence outside her door.

* * *

_Tuesday April 26_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"We really doing this?" Panther asked uncomfortably as they observed the shadow guard. There was no way around it. If they wanted the final Will seed, they would have to defeat it in a fight.

"We've already got the treasure route, right?" Skull spoke cautiously, for once, as he examined the foe. "It looks pretty tough."

"It may be our toughest foe yet," Joker agreed as he looked over his party. Determination burned in his eyes he slowly met each of their gazes. "But, can we even call ourselves phantom thieves if we don't take all the treasure possible? The contents of that room may give us the means through which we can fuel our next adventurers."

"Well said!" Mona agreed. "There's no way one shadow can defeat us!"

"Exactly," Joker nodded in solidarity. "Now, let's do this!"

"Hell yeah!" Skull roared, completely different from his past words. "Let's kick shadow ass!"

"Fine," agreed Panther with a role of her eyes. Despite the measured response, Joker could detect the excitement inside that she felt as well. "I just hope it isn't something gross like those floating guys with the massive…"

"Oh, the Incubus?" Ryuji teased. "Why don't you call it forth again Joker?"

Debating taking the high road, Joker decided against it. Here, in the metaverse, he felt free. "I may indeed. It has many useful abilities."

"Like creeping me out!" Panther whined. "I feel assaulted by just its look!"

"Shush!" Mona berated them as they inched their way around the stone circle to the guarded door. "We won't be able to ambush this one."

"That's alright," Joker assured. "This will be easy." Sauntering cockily over to the guard, Joker gestured at it to step aside.

"You will not be claiming King Kamoshida's treasure, thieves!" Abandoning its former appearance of a guard captain, the shadow resolved into…

"Oh no… I can't," Panther complained backing hesitantly away from the throbbing mess.

"Don't you think it looks _exactly_ like how you'd imagine Kamoshida's to be?" Ryuji joked, never one to let such an opportunity pass him by.

"Let's just kill it," Joker told them, staring warily at the misshapen shadow. "Come Obariyon, Sukunda!"

Calling forth the strange little devil man from his stock of personas, Joker smirked at the torn shadow as its movements became rougher. It was now both easier to hit and easier to dodge.

"Let's go Mona!" Teaming up together, Skull and Mona unleashed their personas magical elements into the shadow. Flitting off with little damage, the shadow was barely phased by either attack.

"I'm up next!" Panther called.

"No!" Joker over-rid her. "Lower its damage."

"Fine." Unhappy with the decision, Ann brought forth Carmen to weaken the shadows attacks. Although they hadn't used it often up until now, Joker saw a dozen potential situations in which it may be useful.

"Gragh!" Diving forward at him, Joker easily sidestepped the slow attack, taking time to smirk at the shadow while doing so.

"Looking cool, Joker!"

Accepting the compliment silently, Joker mentally switched personas in half a second and called forth Jack-o-Lantern. Having the weak persona out left Joker feeling vulnerable as his senses dimmed around him. Attack, speed, defense, all falling. However, the persona had a useless ability that he required, "Rakunda!"

Calling the name of the spell, the little lantern bearing persona appeared and hit the shadow with a ball of energy. While it did no damage, it drained its defenses, leaving it far more vulnerable than it had been previously.

"Attack it with your guns!"

Calling out instructions for Skull and Mona, they obliged Joker's request by whipping out the model weapons. Firing off real rounds, first Mona's Slingshot, then Skull's shotgun tore into the shadow for huge damage.

Nodding confidently, Joker was pleased with the way the fight was going. At this rate, the shadow would be defeated with little effort besides the mind that he and Panther had to expend. Already, Joker could feel the substantial amount he'd used on weakening the shadow twice pulling at him, warning him that his resources were drying up.

With a chilling premonition, Joker examined the shadow that was getting beat so heavily. Its gaze, even through the damage rested solely on Panther.

"Me next!"

"No, guard!"

Overriding Panther's decision with a quick sentence, she glared at him, but did as she was ordered to. Preparing herself, Panther was ready, as the shadow threw itself at her. Despite the lowered agility, the shadow was able to find its target colliding solidly with Panther.

"Gah!" Crying out in pain, Panther's stamina fell from max to almost nothing. It would have been a one-shot if not for the guard, even with the attack decrease.

"Mona, heal her on your turn!"

Leaving it there, Joker switched personas back to Obariyon. The thing was good against physical attacks. Something told Joker he may need if the shadow tried to attack him again. Looking for a critical strike, Joker commanded the persona to use Lucky Punch, a technique that had a higher chance of knocking a shadow down.

"Gragh!"

"It worked…" Half surprised by the lucky turn of events; Joker debated his possible actions as they surrounded the downed foe.

While he hated to do it…

"Back out!" Calling off the all-out-attack, Joker instead passed the baton to Mona. "Heal Panther!"

"You got it!" Using the increased power from the baton pass, Mona's heal brought Panther back to essentially full. "Now, it's time to beat this guy down!"

With Panther healed by his bonus action, Mona tore into the shadow with his saber, the downed, sagging form shuddering from the blows.

"Nice one!" Complimenting him, Skull followed up, calling forth his persona to do even more damage against the defenseless creature. Both attacks chunked off huge sections of its remaining stamina. Defenses lowered and knocked down; the shadow was in an extremely vulnerable state.

"Now you're going to get it!" Panther growled, extremely upset as she glared at the phallic shadow.

"No!" Joker cried trying to stop her. "Put it to sleep!"

"Not this time!" Crying out, Panther was tired of playing support while the party dealt the damage around her. "Dance, Carmen!" Summoning her persona, the flame easily struck the downed persona.

Sighing, Joker could have predicted the little damage that was done. It resisted both Skull and Mona's magic. The tried and true physical damage would have been a better option.

Raising itself from its position, it was easy to see that the shadow's gaze was still focused solely upon Panther. "Please dodge it…"

Hoping for the best, Joker's wish wasn't granted. The attack didn't only connect, it struck with a horrifying crit. Panther's limp body was tossed to the ground, unable to move. Forcing himself to look away, Joker crouched defensively as he waited for the shadow's next action with that it had bought for itself.

"No…" Muttering in horror, Joker could only watch as the shadow coated itself in healing energy, restoring some of the damage that had been dealt to it.

"W-what do we do now!?" Mona began to panic, unable to look away from where Panther was still lying on the ground not moving.

"I got her!" Joker assured them. Dashing over to her fallen body, Joker quickly applied one of the medicines that he'd found at Takemi medical clinic. The quick acting substance was damn expensive. Joker had only been able to afford two, but if it worked, then it was worth every yen.

"Gah!" Gasping, Panther's eyes flew open as the medicine took effect, restoring her stamina to a decent level. "T-thank you…"

"Don't mention it," Joker assured her, returning to his original position. Action spent restoring Panther, Joker let the other two act freely, not bothering with instructions for now.

The two melee attacks tore into the shadow, dealing the damage that it had healed on its turn. That wasn't nearly good enough if they wanted to win this fight without taking serious damage.

"Sleep it this time!"

"Y-yes…" Meekly accepting the order, Joker caught an apologetic glance from Panther. "Carmen!"

Calling forth that magical substance of sleep, Joker watched anxiously to see if it would have an effect. Some shadows had proven either too powerful or simply immune to the ability. Luckily, the deflated penis wasn't. The head fell over as comical snores emitted from its comatose body.

"Now, Obariyon!" Summoning the persona, Joker didn't have the SP available to further inflict the debuffs upon I again. It's Attack and agility had returned to normal. On its next turn so would its defense.

With a snap, Obariyon struck the sleeping persona, hitting it for immense damage. Although it didn't fall to the ground, the gun attribute skill had taken a huge chunk of its health away.

Knowing what to do, the other three rushed it, one attack after another falling upon the severely damaged shadow. Coming in third, Panther's whip sealed the final hit. A fitting end Joker considered, seeing how the shadow was clearly related to Kamoshida's warped desires.

"We finally did it!" Skull burst out, stretching his arm. "That was intense, and it didn't even attack me!"

"You should be grateful!" Panther shot back crossing her arms and shivering. "I thought I was a goner there…"

"Don't worry, I'm here for you." Laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder, Joker waited for a second to ensure the truth of it was communicated.

"I-I'm here for you too!" Mona added on a second later. "Just tell me your needs!"

"Dude…"

Ignoring Skull, Panther responded seriously. "I could use another heal if you have the mind!"

"Y-yes Panther…"

Leaving a deflated Mona behind, Joker moved onto the third and final Will seed door. Each one was surrounded by an ominous aura. Which made sense considering the treasure they held within. Walking through the barren room, Joker scooped up the final Blue Will seed.

"What's happening?" Trying to control his panic, Joker looked at Mona in hopes that their resident metaverse 'expert' would know something concerning the phenomenon that was occurring.

Predictably… "I-I don't know what this is!"

Unable to do anything about it, Joker could only watch as the first two Will Seeds flew out of his pockets and began to interact with the third. Backing out of the way, Joker stared in awe, as the three will seeds circled each other in a slowly tightening circle.

As the energy faded, the once three seeds had combined to form a single ornament. "This is an accessory…" Mumbling at it, Joker attempted to figure out what the strange thing would do when carried. "Let's them use a healing skill… Huh." Mumbling it over, Joker turned the new item over in his hands. Quickly coming to a decision, Joker tossed the item to Skull. "Here, use this. Now everyone can heal themselves."

"Y-you got it Boss!"

"Now then," Joker declared with a roll of his neck. "Let's get out of here and get that calling card ready."

* * *

_Wednesday April 27_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Kasumi's eyes flashed with rage as she sat in the kitchen. Waiting here, she had stared directly at Sumire as the girl had walked straight past her. The events of Monday night had strongly imprinted themselves in Kasumi's mind. She couldn't believe how thick-headed her sister was being.

_I was trying to help her!_

Grinding her teeth against each other, Kasumi tapped the tabletop furiously as she stared at her sister's closed door. Her dad, trying to work beside her, gave Kasumi a sad smile. He knew something was wrong but couldn't fix the girls' relationship for them.

"This is enough…"

Declaring that, Kasumi pushed up and out of the chair. Walking quickly to Sumire's bedroom, she gave the door two loud knocks.

"I'm Busy!"

"Like hell you are!" Cursing at her cowardly sister, Kasumi flung the door open and strode in. Indeed, Sumire was not busy, she was sitting slumped over her desk, pushing a pencil back and forth.

"Eep!" Letting out an undignified screech, Sumire tried to jump to her feet. Getting her legs tangled in the chair legs, she crashed to the ground, falling over the chair.

Standing over her, Kasumi pointed her index finger at Sumire. "You are going to listen for once, you got that?"

"Y-yes…" she answered meekly. Suddenly, Sumire's expression shifted, anger replacing the surprise and fear. "Wait, no! Get out of my room!"

"I refuse," Kasumi replied coldly. The tone of voice was one that she'd never used before. An anger underlying it that she never thought she would ever direct at her precious sister. Unfortunately, Sumire needed to be woken up. "You're being an idiot."

"I'm not the one that swooped in and stole the guy their sister likes!"

"First off," Kasumi said, counting points on her left land, "you've never even had a proper conversation with him. Get over yourself. Second, I am not dating him!"

"Huh?" Felt flabbergasted, Sumire didn't know how to respond.

"I only talked to him to get the truth. He does indeed have a criminal record, however, the rumours have blown everything far out of proportion. It was indeed Kamoshida that did it according to him. I knew you were worried about it."

"O-oh… Umm, I'm sorry," Sumire directed her eyes to the ground, curling into a ball. Despite the good news, she looked as depressed as ever.

Sighing, Kasumi rubbed a tired hand over face. She didn't know what to do with her sister. It seemed like every minor thing that happened ended up being a major deal for her. She simply couldn't cope with anything.

"I'm pretty pathetic, aren't I?"

Kasumi only felt sad as she heard her sister talk that way. However, Kasumi was out of ideas. Every time she tried to help Sumire it seemed to do more bad than good.

"This is the last time…"

"Huh?"

Sumire's mumbled confusion was echoed in Kasumi's own thoughts. She was still working out the details even as she talked.

"I'm not helping you anymore. You want to be your own person, you got it. Homework, relationships, bullies, you can figure it out yourself, you got that?"

"K-Kasumi?"

"That's right! Next time, you'll have to actually talk to them in order to learn something!" Turning on her heel, Kasumi strode back to the doorway, unable to think of anything else to say. Pausing there, one last important thing came to mind. "I'll be waiting for you at the meet. Please don't disappoint me."

Leaving it there, Kasumi closed the door and strode to her own room. Ignoring her dad's concerned gaze, he must have heard every word, Kasumi closed her door behind her. While the lockless rooms could be entered at any time, Kasumi knew her parents wouldn't disturb her.

Collapsing on the sheets, Kasumi let out a massive sigh and rubbed her eyes. Staring at the ceiling, all Kasumi could see were Sumire's hurt and confused eyes. Wondering why her sister would do this to her.

"Why didn't you trust me…" Mumbling the words, that's the question that Kasumi really wanted to know the answer to. That when, during their long years together, did Kasumi ruin their bond to the point that Sumire inherently assumed the worst?

Laying there quietly, Kasumi let the tears fall. Today had hurt. Monday had hurt. Just after everything seemed to be going right. When Sumire had come to this very room and asked about Kamoshida and the transfer student. Had that really been last Tuesday already? When Sumire had admitted to her crush?

Then Sumire had seemed ready. Ready to face the world and the challenges it possessed. Recently, she looked like a shell. Without hope or motivation. The drive from when school was starting vanished like the morning mist.

"Was it all from the transfer student? Ren…?" Breathing his name again, Kasumi was forced to admit, that she did feel a bit better as she thought about him. Was this how it was for Sumire? Did she draw her strength from him?

"You'll need to learn to stand on your own one day…" Even as she spoke the words to herself, Kasumi felt the hypocrisy in them. These last two days her practice had been atrocious. All because Kasumi relied on Sumire to motivate her. With Sumire hating her, Kasumi had struggled to get through the basic training.

"Hmm, maybe he'll be able to help both of us…" Murmuring one last hopeful fantasy, Kasumi's consciousness faded into sleep, hoping the day to come would be better.

* * *

_Saturday April 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning_

Sumire walked into school with her head hung. These past days had been brutal. Sumire got up hating herself and went to bed hating herself. If only she could be like Kasumi, everything would be better. She's the one that people wanted. Eyes focused on the floor Sumire almost missed it. Only the commotion of students and rapid gossip alerted her to the irregular surroundings.

"A calling card!"

"Did you see it?"

"I've never seen Mr. Kamoshida yell that loudly before!"

"It's almost enough to make me believe the rumours…"

Blinking in confusion, Sumire's head slowly rose from the position it had been in all week. The memories that haunted her had drained the energy and point from keeping her head up. This unnatural thrill of energy that ran through the school had restored some; a mild curiosity had been spiked. Hearing the students actively discussing Kamoshida's crimes was strange. Most of the student body revered him.

Winding her way through the mass of bodies that had built up, Sumire eventually wound up in front of the notice board. Standing there, talking in low voices were the Principal and vice principal. Both men looked scared as they talked in low voices. Wondering what had happened, Sumire glanced past them at the board behind. Covering it were identical calling cards.

Glancing around at the distracted students, Sumire darted forward. Ripping one from the board she retreated away from the commotion. With one of the duplicated cards gripped firmly in her right hand, Sumire all but ran to her classroom. Taking her seat, Sumire glanced at the time and saw she still had five minutes.

Taking it out, she encountered a poorly drawn emblem. Sumire thought it was probably supposed to be a hat… with a mask… maybe? Ignoring it, Sumire flipped the card over. The entire thing was filled with print-type characters, their sizes differing. No doubt the original was made from newspaper cut-outs and then pasted together. That was then scanned and printed upon red paper.

Focusing on the content itself, Sumire read slowly, the various sizes presenting a challenge to speed reading. "Sir Suguru Kamoshida, the utter bastard of lust…" Continuing in an unbelieving tone, Sumire could hardly believe the words as they unfolded before her. "…that's why we have decided to steal your heart. Sincerely, the phantom thieves of hearts."

Setting in down, Sumire read through it quickly once more, and then a second time. Taking off her glasses, Sumire rubbed her eyes and then tried again. No matter what she did, it was still there. Someone had stood up. Someone had called him out.

"Take him down… please…"

"What do we have here, miss Yoshizawa."

"Uh oh…" Panicking, Sumire stared up into the angry eyes of her homeroom teacher Mr. Ushimaru. The chalk throwing ninja glared holes through her. Wilting, Sumire could do nothing as Mr. Ushimaru read it.

"Tsk. I hope you don't believe the garbage they wrote. Like I said last week, Mr. Kamoshida is an upstanding teacher. A true role model."

As he walked away, Sumire was glad that he hadn't taken the calling card. Placing it carefully in her bag, Sumire waited anxiously. Not for class to start. But to see the truth. She wanted so badly to believe. That someone, something was out there. A group that could help those in need. Those without power.

"Those like me…" Smiling to herself, Sumire smiled out the window. It was the first time the expression had touched her lips in ages. "Go get him phantom thieves."

* * *

_Saturday April 30_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Joker stared amazed as Kamoshida's stamina was restored in leaps and bounds. Not only was his shadow far and away the most powerful thing they'd faced so far, it could heal itself infinitely by consuming the woman-esque figures in his cup.

Staring up at the giant four-armed demon, it was hard not to feel discouraged. Bastard though he may be, Kamoshida's demon fought with every shred of power that Kamoshida believed himself to possess in reality.

"Fucker can heal himself? Really!?" Skull complained, glaring at the thing.

"That's it!" Mona shrieked, Skull's words jogging something. "Let's aim for the cup!"

"I like it." Agreeing with Mona's strategy, Joker led the charge against the golden goblet. The intricate details and craftmanship were lost behind its gaudy reflective coating. Just like Kamoshida, the glory had become more important than the work that had led there. "Mokoi!"

A new addition to his repertoire, thanks to the twins and Igor, Joker called forth the stocky, gray persona. Despite its silly appearance, it was the strongest one Joker possessed. Striking the cup, its Skull cracker technique hit for massive damage, taking a tenth of Joker's stamina as pay for the exceptional power.

"N-no! Don't touch the cup again! You hear me!?"

Shaking his head at the foolish Kamoshida, Joker shared a look with the rest of the thieves. If he said not to do it then…

"That only makes us want to do it more!" Pulling out his slingshot, Mona tore into the cup with alacrity.

"No!" Kamoshida cried uselessly again, waving his purple arms back and forth. Not letting Mona get all the credit, Skull and then Panther dashed it, striking at the vulnerable and cracking cup. As the dust settled, the cup didn't break, but dissolved back into the shadow energy from which it had been formed.

Smirking at the devastated Kamoshida, Joker waited for what the fool would try next. Nothing apparently as he slumped over defeated. "That was from when I won the nationals…"

"Well, you give up?" Joker sneered at the slumped over enemy.

"Who do you think you are to do this?" Kamoshida roared back, energy still remaining. "I am Kamoshida! I am the king!"

"So what?" Skull shot back.

"Huh? But I'm the king…"

"You're pathetic," Panther responded with a shake of her head. "Now hand over that crown!"

"No! I'm not finished yet…"

"Then it's time to up our game as well!" Mona declared.

Using that as a timer, Joker led them into the all-out-attack. Even against the massive body of King Kamoshida's shadow, Joker was pleased when it worked out flawlessly. The damage had piled up to ridiculous numbers. As they retreated, a large chunk had been removed from his stamina.

However, the king rose, undaunted by the damage dealt. With a malice glowing in his sickly eyes, Kamoshida glared at them. "Fine. Slaves, bring out the you know what!" Emphasising his words with a crack of his whip, the robot-like things that had been serving him before ran away, their chains broken.

Out came…

"Mishima!?" The three of them declared in surprise. There was no doubt in Joker's mind as he beheld the frightened cognitive being scraping before Kamoshida's will. This was how he treated the boy in the real world, why wouldn't he be here as well?

"Something is going to happen!" Warning everyone, Joker guarded himself form damage. He didn't know what Kamoshida had up his sleeve, but whatever it was, it wouldn't be good for them.

"Get ready for my Killshot! Its from my time back when I was active and kicking it! Killshot… As in I make the kill!"

"…That was obvious." Joker muttered to himself, however, the power he could feel gathering was very real as Mishima set a ball high in the air. With a dexterity unbefitting his massive form, demon Kamoshida leapt high off the ground. With the authority of a king doling out judgement to his unruly subjects, Kamoshida spiked the ball.

Hitting the ground in front of all four of them, Joker gritted his teeth as he felt the shockwave of force roll over him. "Such… power!" Groaning, Joker couldn't believe how much stamina he could feel draining away even as he blocked the attack.

As it finally faded, Joker looked around worriedly, scared about any casualties that had resulted. Thankfully, everyone was still on their feet, however, no one has still over half. Another attack like that would wipe them out.

"Mishima, you worthless scum! I can't hit properly with you here!"

"That wasn't full power?" Mona moaned in disbelief.

"Next slave!"

Answering Kamoshida's call was a girl Joker knew. It was a girl their entire school knew after the events of two weeks ago. Shiho Suzui. The girl that attempted suicide after suffering form Kamoshida's abuse. The anger washed across them like a palpable wave as they beheld the Suzui in Kamoshida's cognition.

Under different circumstances, Joker would have admitted that she was rocking that bunny outfit. The revealing white outfit suited her perfectly and enhanced her already beautiful features. Now though, Joker found it hard to look at her. It was exactly this perception that Kamoshida held that drove the girl to jump.

"Joker…" Mona warned.

He knew what they should do. Defeat the cognitive Suzui and no more of those ultimate attacks would come. "No. Target Kamoshida."

"That could work as well…"

Looking around the party, Joker confirmed that their wills aligned with his. They would win this fight by dealing with Kamoshida. No matter what tricks he pulled. With death on the line, Joker called forth his persona once more. The skull cracker hit, dealing high damage. One by one, his party followed, each attack dealing more damage and irritating shadow Kamoshida further.

"Your useless as well Suzui! Get out of here!"

Letting out a relieved smile, Joker knew that it wasn't over as this fight entered its final stage. Kamoshida was still in good condition, well above half. They'd have to do a lot more damage in order to win this one. Unless…

"Joker, what should we do?"

"Go for the crown."

"I see!" Mona's eyes lit up with understanding. "Who should go?"

"Skull." Joker decided after a second of deliberation. Panther would never make it, Kamoshida was far too focused on her. Mona was on the wrong side and didn't have a scalable terrace.

"On it!" Accepting the order without a complaint, Skull darted away, hiding behind one of the side pillars.

"We need to do a lot of damage to keep him distracted!" Mona warned,

"I know." However, Joker switched personas yet again, their health was low across the board. "Cait Sith!" Summoning a persona he'd used for extending periods of time, it had acquired a skill that most wouldn't expect it to know. Calling forth a healing aura, it blanketed all three of them, restoring their stamina simultaneously.

"Thank you!" Panther sang back, appreciative of the restoration. "Now I can do this!" Calling forth Carmen once more, the fireball took Kamoshida in the face, dealing damage and obscuring his vision.

"Nice one Panther! Now take this!" Following it up with his wind, Kamoshida looked pissed as he fought back. Stabbing with the fork and slashing with his knife, the blows hurt but were far easier to mange than the killshot.

Letting his party continue to deal the distracting damage, Joker called Cait Sith to heal everyone again. The action drawing a frustrated growl from Kamoshida.

"Stop that! I'm the King!"

"Like hell you are…" Catching Skull's words somehow, Joker noticed him climbing up onto the second level. All without Kamoshida seeing him, brilliant.

Switching tactics, Joker unleashed his own fire into Kamoshida as he continued to struggle to kill them. Joker was glad that their current strategy was only a stall tactic. Each of Kamoshida's two attacks dealt a lot of damage. An unlucky critical could spell instant disaster.

_Only one more turn!_

Holding out hope for Skull, Joker unleashed another area healing on the panting party. As the barrage stopped, Kamoshida looked over them closely.

"Wait, three? Where'd the fourth one go!?"

"Too slow asshole!" Taunting him, Joker smiled appreciatively at Skull's antics. Finally getting the revenge he deserved, Skull shot out of the planter straight into the crown. With a mighty bang, as his club hit home, the crown flew free of Kamoshida's head.

"No! My crown! It's mine as King!"

"Still not going to surrender?" Joker asked disbelievingly at the crawling shadow.

"No! I'm…"

Not bothering to listen to the rest, Joker led them into another All-out-attack. The difference from when the cup had been destroyed was night and day. Now, Joker felt his knife bite deep and true as he darted around, tearing the king to shreds. His defenses had plummeted with the loss of the crown.

Backing out as exhaustion filled them, Joker was disappointed to see that shadow Kamoshida still clung to life, if barely.

"No! I-I'm king…" Trying to continue fighting, Kamoshida made a couple of lame attacks. The first did maybe half of what it had before, the second missed entirely.

"You're done for." Spitting derisively at the pathetic shadow, Joker led them through the final round of combat. Each skill doing exceedingly large portions of damage, it wasn't long before the shadow began to crumble to pieces.

"Now, let's take…"

"Ha!" Grabbing the crown, Kamoshida, back in his human form, huddled it to his chest as he darted for the window. Running to the sill, he stopped as he observed the height at which he stood. Apparently, the fall would kill a shadow as well.

"Go on," Panther instructed, venom in her voice. "Jump. This is how Shiho felt. Standing here with no options."

"N-no, please!" Kamoshida begged. "Mercy!"

"You didn't show Shiho mercy!" Roaring the words, Panther brought forth Carmen, a giant ball of sizzling fire streaking towards the defenseless shadow.

Pursing his lips in discomfort, Joker could only watch. Thankfully, the ball passed just wide. He didn't want Panther to have to live with murder on her conscious.

"…You're right," Kamoshida murmured suddenly, a different tone in his voice. "This is what you came for, right? Take it." Tossing the crown, Joker caught it easily in one hand.

Taking a moment, Joker stared first at the treasure then back at the shadow. That peaceful smile on his lips… could it be?

"After everything I've done to you, to all three of you… You deserve to kill me."

"Well… Look at that," Panther growled, "you finally said something I agree with!"

Once again fire flew. This time, the person on the receiving end was completely different. Eyes closed, he smiled as he accepted his end. A just end for the sins he'd committed.

"Huh?" Murmuring, he opened his eyes in confusion as the fireball went wide. Turning back to Panther, he looked at her questioningly.

"You need to be alive to confess your crimes. You'll live the rest of life trying to atone for this!"

"…You're so kind lady Ann." Breaking codenames, Joker couldn't find the energy to berate Mona for it. He was right, Panther really did have an inner strength that few saw.

"I see… I shall return to my real self then. Goodbye…" Turning into particles of light, the shadow disintegrated.

As if to ruin the touching moment, the whole castle let out a massive tremor. "It's falling apart now that the ruler is gone, isn't it?" Joker asked with a sigh.

"Yes!" Mona shouted back. "Now run!"

Falling into a line, the four of them took off towards the exit.

* * *

_Monday May 2_ _nd_ _, 20XX Morning_

Sumire gasped as the side door burst open. The principal's words were cut off as Mr. Kamoshida entered the gymnasium. Sumire could hear the students around her murmuring. Wondering about a connection between the teacher's strange behaviour and the calling card that was posted on Saturday. Yet, Sumire didn't hear any of the words. Her sole, undivided attention was on the staggering gym teacher.

"I… have been reborn."

_His heart… was changed?_

But that impossibility was too much for Sumire. No one could simply change a person's personality. That power didn't exist, couldn't exist. Yet, Sumire watched as Kamoshida staggered up the stage and fell upon his knees.

"I… have committed terrible crimes. As a teacher, not only did I abuse students, spread rumours about the transfer student, I…" Cutting off, Kamoshida appeared to be crying, the sobs stopping his words. "I sexually assaulted members of the volleyball team."

"Kamoshida!" The principal cried. "Stop this at once!"

"Everyone, get back to your class!" A teacher tried to break up the assembly.

Sumire however wasn't listening, her feet dragging her closer and closer. Hanging onto Kamoshida's words, Sumire didn't want to miss a single moment.

"I am personally to blame for Shiho Suzui's suicide attempt. Additionally, I threatened Ann Takamaki in an attempt to make her sleep with me… As-as punishment for my c-crimes… I'm going to kill myself."

"How dare you run away!" A woman's voice broke in. "Stay alive and atone for your sins!"

"…You're right," Kamoshida murmured in agreement after a moment. "I… I will spend the rest of my life attempting to make up for this. Someone please! Call the police! Arrest me!"

"Mr. Kamoshida, please!" The principal begged again, "stop this! Student's back to your classes! Now!"

Giving up on calming down the grief-stricken teacher, the principal turned his influence to getting the students to disperse. As the teachers began to make a coordinated effort, lead by the particularly vocal teacher from before, Sumire found herself washed up in the tide of students.

"They did it… It actually happened…" Wearing a giddy smile, Sumire allowed herself to get swept back to her classroom. Someone had freed the school from Kamoshida's reign. "You're free now…" Casting one last glance at the gymnasium, Sumire swore she identified that mop of black hair at the far end, standing patiently, calmly, like the assembly had been perfectly normal. The rumours surrounding him would start to fade now. Sumire wasn't naïve enough to think that it would happen overnight. Nonetheless, without Kamoshida here to fuel them, the students would grow to regard him as no different from them.

Like the demonstration had freed her as well, Sumire confronted the day confident for the first time in over a week. "I'm going to impress you… Hiraguchi… Kasumi." Sending a final promise to her coach and rival, Sumire looked forward to her first practice in a month and a half as May began.

* * *

_Monday May 2_ _nd_ _, 20XX After school_

Kasumi looked on silently as Sumire performed her routine. Compared to the last time that she'd watched her perform, the difference was night and day. Now, instead of a grimace of concentration, Sumire's face was spread wide in a beautiful smile. Kasumi could see where the lack of practice had accumulated rust. A jump slightly shorter than it should have been, a step a fraction out of time. The arms slightly too low in that hold.

Despite those, it was everything Kasumi had once been jealous of in her routines. The easy grace coupled with that smile made her transfixing to watch. It wasn't the same confidence that Kasumi used to belay her routines, instead, it was the quiet sincerity of a girl who danced because she loved it. In watching her, it made you love it as well.

"Welcome back… My rival."

Murmuring the words to herself, Kasumi left before she was spotted. After all, today was Sumire's practice time with Hiraguchi. Kasumi would have her own time to hone her talents and surpass Sumire. She didn't need to be there for her anymore.

Walking outside, Kasumi looked up into the dimming blue sky of the mid afternoon. Logically, Kasumi felt she should be sad. Yet, her face broke into a wide smile. Sumire was walking her own path now. She was dealing with her own problems.

"I'm still going to win." Clutching her fist, Kasumi pressed it once quickly to her chest before she took off running. She'd need to train harder than ever to keep up with the new Sumire.


	3. The Formation of the Phantoms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again,
> 
> I must say the support for this story has suprised me. Nonetheless, I'm glad you are enjoying it.
> 
> Anyway, funny story, I would have had this chapter done awhile ago, but there I was, with 80% of it written, and my intuition was telling me something was wrong. Finally checking on it, I realized that this week in the story is golden week and they don't go to school. Ergo, I had to rewrite almost the entire thing, with quite a few events and implications changing as well. I think I prefer this new version though.
> 
> Enjoy! I'll be back some time.
> 
> -asdf1asdf1
> 
> PS. Yes, events are drifting further away from the canon story. It remains to be seen how far the story shifts. Hopefully we can see together!

Chapter 3: The Formation of The Phantoms

_Monday May 2_ _nd_ _, 20XX Late Evening_

"None of this helps…" Bent over the family tablet, Kasumi had it angled on a pile of textbooks as she furiously scrolled through walls of text. Giant bags adorned her bloodshot eyes as she continued to read. Despite the late hour, a fervent passion and fear kept her going as time passed with inevitable speed.

Nothing she had come across so far had been able to answer her question. It was all conspiracy theories and ancient experiments from a crueler world. Even worse, a large portion of it had been in English. The difficult and unfamiliar words swimming in front of her eyes compared to the simple sentences and phrases that they'd learnt in class.

Although many would consider these hours wasted, Kasumi was becoming more confident in one fact. That no matter how she looked at it, this… 'change of heart' or whatever the calling card had claimed, was not impossible.

"What did it say again… distorted desires?"

Murmuring to herself, Kasumi's mind dragged back up the long-forgotten words slowly. She'd only read the card once, skimmed it quickly when she arrived at school last Friday. Snorting at the ill-conceived prank, Kasumi had forgotten about it altogether until today.

Right before she'd gone to bed, that's when the thought struck her. That if whomever had done this done to Kamoshida wanted to, they could do it to her. They could remove her desire to compete. Her wish to reach the top of the gymnastics world. Essentially… they could remove her reason for living.

At that point sleep had been a secondary priority for Kasumi. She was filled with a need to know. Whether these 'Phantom Thieves' were real and how they had pulled off this brainwashing. Kasumi _knew_ something happened to Mr. Kamoshida. She'd talked to the man and sensed his desires personally. No blackmailing in the world could produce such a heartfelt confession.

"Now let's see…" Blinking, Kasumi wasn't sure if she could believe her eyes. The top search result for 'distorted desires' was another conspiracy article. However, it was in Japanese.

_Cognitive Psience: The forgotten discipline?_

Taking a deep breath, Kasumi tried not to shudder at the time in the corner that had ticked past 2. Diving back in one last time, Kasumi searched once more to see if her fears were unfounded.

* * *

_Tuesday May 3_ _rd_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Good, good…" Principal Kobayakawa muttered as he reviewed the documents that had been brought to him. Standing on the other side of the desk stood the vice principal in his signature black suit. Kobayakawa had, on more than occasion tried to convince the man to wear something a little less formal. It was strange when the vice-principal was better dressed than the principal.

"I'm sure you'll find that everything is in order."

"I'm sure it is," Kobayakawa agreed with a sigh. "I'm shocked you managed all of this so quickly, however. A day to clean up the park to improve reputation, hiring a councillor… Easier said than done. Especially with today being a holiday."

"Honestly," the vice-principal admits, "the councillor seemed surprisingly eager to come once I mentioned the school's name."

"Perhaps he simply thinks it will raise his reputation after this Kamoshida debacle." Shaking his head, Kabayakawa felt another headache coming on. His carefully planned speech on avoiding suicide had been interrupted by Kamoshida confessing to his crimes. The man had behaved completely different from normal!

"Perhaps," the vice principal agrees with a nod. "This wouldn't have happened if Kamoshida hadn't been so zealous. You should have taken my advice and restrained him better."

Kobayakawa could only cough awkwardly in answer. If he had been paying active attention to Kamoshida, perhaps Kobayakawa would have stopped his rasher actions. However, Kobayakawa had stopped paying attention once the donations continued to roll in, the school made famous with Kamoshida present.

"Is there anything else you can think of?" Kobayakawa asked insistent. "It is absolutely imperative that we restore the school's reputation before too long."

"Hmm, I guess there are a few things, warnings more than anything…"

"Anything that will help!" Kobayakawa repeated. Sweat dripping down his face from the strain.

"First, we need to make sure that nothing else happens at this school to bring it negative press." The vice principal answered, the ideas coming as he spoke. "The second then, to lean heavily upon the honour students, especially the Yoshizawa sisters. If they perform well, we can leverage their success as a success for the school."

"The Yoshizawa sisters," Kobayakawa muttered leaning back in his chair. The ominous creaking from the overburdened furniture went unheaded. "Yes, I'll make sure that they perform well for us. As for the negative press, I can have the student council president check out any untoward developments."

"Very good then," the vice principal bows, turning to leave. "Let us hope that the worst is behind us."

With the final ominous message ringing through his head, Kobayakawa groaned in self sympathy for the troubles in his life. He had been looking forward to golden week. Three days of no school where he could focus solely on spending time with his waifus. Kamoshida and these… Phantom thieves had put an end to that.

Taking a minute to compose himself, Kobayakawa simply rocked on his chair for awhile, thinking about the conversation. "The Yoshizawa sisters… We do need to be careful of them, especially the position their father holds…" Trailing off, Kobayakawa smiled nastily. The expression grotesque as he used underworked muscles to move masses of flesh around.

Opening up the school registry, Kobayakawa scrolled through until he found Yo. There was a phone call that he had to make.

* * *

_Tuesday May 3_ _rd_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

Sumire walked along the busy street, throwing surreptitious glances over her shoulder. Since they all had the day off, Sumire found herself roped into a family outing to Shibuya. Why they had chosen the massive prefecture, Sumire didn't understand. Harajuku would have been better for clothes, Akihabara was better for electronics, many places had a variety of restaurants.

More than any of that, Sumire didn't understand what was wrong with Kasumi. The girl was walking along in a trance. She had barely stumbled out of bed before it was time to leave.

"Oh, I wanted to check out an underground mall around here!" Shinichi intoned, louder than necessary. Sumire couldn't help but feel like he was forcing himself to overly cheerful for some reason.

"…That sounds wonderful," Sumire replied a second later when it became obvious that Kasumi wouldn't be doing so. "Are you looking for something there?"

"Oh, not really," Shinichi replied mysteriously. "I thought you girls may be interested in some of the shops. I heard that not only do they have a fantastic accessory store, they also have a sports store there!"

The words did catch Sumire's attention as she automatically turned towards Kasumi, assuming her sister would begin talking. Yet again though, the zombie appeared to have heard nothing, just plodding along behind them. "I look forward to it…"

The half-hearted words got a frown from their parents as they shared a knowing look. "Look girls… I know this Kamoshida business has the two of you upset."

"Upset?" Sumire asked confused, "why would I be upset?"

"He was a mentor to you… wasn't he?" Shinichi asked confused.

"No," Sumire replied sharply, "He was a horrible person that I'm glad will spend the rest of his life behind bars."

"Sumire!" Their mother replied in shock.

"T-that certainly wasn't the answer I expected…" Shinichi breathed. "And you Kasumi, you've been awfully quiet."

"Me?" Kasumi repeated dumbly. "Umm… what was the question?"

At this, everyone stopped to look at her. Sumire openly gaped at her sister. She had never, _ever,_ seen Kasumi in a state even close to this one. "What happened?"

Accidently speaking her thoughts, Sumire wanted to know what could have unhinged Kasumi this badly.

"L-look, its nothing," Kasumi stuttered awkwardly under the combined gazes. "I just stayed up a little too late last night. Was looking into some things."

"Some things?" Sumire questioned disbelievingly. "Weren't you the one who just last week lectured me about going to bed on time?"

"I-I know," Kasumi answered, blushing. "But it was a holiday, and… I'm sorry I worried you all." Bowing slightly, Kasumi was the picture of repentance.

"It isn't like we're enforcing your bedtime…" Shinichi replied, put on the defensive from Kasumi's overwhelming display of apology. "Just try not to make a habit of it."

"Yes father."

Forced to keep walking as her family resumed their movement, Sumire tried to send one last questioning look at Kasumi. It had only been yesterday that Sumire had found her motivation and made her first steps along the road to international gymnastics.

Walking along, they quickly arrived at the crowded narrow corridors that their father was leading them to. Lined with shops on both sides, Sumire couldn't help but fling her head back and forth, peering at the various goods.

"Can Sumire and I go look at some of the stores?"

"Huh?" Blindsided by the question, Sumire stared at her sister in confusion.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Shinichi agreed with a sagacious nod of his head. "Have fun and…"

"We will meet you at the sports store in an hour," Kasumi confirmed, some of her previous confidence starting to return.

"Umm, take care…" Sumire wished her parents as Kasumi pulled her hand and began grabbing her away. "Uhh…" Muttering softly, Sumire didn't know what to say, or how to interact with Kasumi anymore. Scratch that, despite all this time, Sumire still never figured out how to behave around her. She always second guessed her words or decisions to try and emulate Kasumi's perfect mannerisms.

"Is something wrong?" Kasumi asked. "It's been forever since we've last gone shopping. Not since…"

"…Christmas eve," Sumire finished with a wince. That day had been a painful one. Shuddering at the mention, Sumire was wondering if the horrors of the day would begin to surface again, when Kasumi tightened her grip on Sumire's hand.

"Hey," she smiled, Kasumi's natural enthusiasm warring with the exhaustion in her face, "nothing like that will happen this time. So keep your chin up, alright?"

"A-alright…" Sumire muttered, thankful that the topic had moved on. "Why are you doing this though? I thought you said you weren't helping me anymore?"

"You're right," Kasumi agreed. "But if you aren't buying anything then I'll need someone to hold my bags."

"Why are you assuming I'm not buying anything!?" Sumire fired back.

"Because I'm not picking anything out for you silly," Kasumi teased. "Therefore, you aren't going to buy anything."

"Grr…" Growling slightly, Sumire had no response as the remark hit home. Looking down at her casual spring outfit, Sumire realized that every piece was picked out by either Kasumi or her mother. She liked the ensemble, but right now it was another reminder of her weakness. "F-fine then!"

"Hmm?" Kasumi asked, stopping.

"I-I'll buy at least one thing on my own today!"

"Hehe, alright!" Kasumi shot back, the answer seeming to excite her. "What happens if you don't?"

"I-if I don't?" Sumire blinked. "T-then… nothing?"

"That's no good," Kasumi shook her head, a small teasing smile playing across her lips. Snapping her fingers, Kasumi's stance changed. "I got it! The practice slot this afternoon. If you can't pick out something that fits you on your own, I get it. If you do, you get it."

"D-deal!" Sumire replied, still stuttering from the nerves. Strangely though, the conversation had felt natural. It was just like Kasumi to try and turn something like a shopping trip into a bargain. This was one of the first times that Sumire had actually played along however.

"Good! Now then… where to start… Oh, there!"

"W-wait!" Getting pulled along again, Sumire tried to weave through the shifting masses as Kasumi pulled her along, a path seeming to open before her and closing before Sumire could get there. "Gah!" Bursting through at last, Sumire panted beside Kasumi as they stopped in the entrance of a fairly empty store.

Glancing around, Sumire saw what were obviously three couples looking through the various displays. The women staring eagerly while the men had the same morose expression of people who would soon be losing their hard-earned cash. Besides them, another pair of girls, were also poring over the shelves while a couple of lone men wandering about, lost expressions on their faces.

"Maybe we can get matching amulets," Kasumi teased. "Then when you feel yourself running out of energy you can grab hold of it and yell: the power of sisterhood is coursing through me!"

"I-I would never do that!" Sumire stuttered back, face heating up as she felt the nearby shoppers stop and smirk at her. "L-let's look quickly!"

Entering the store, they found themselves looking a row of amulets. Each one was gorgeous and set with a different stone.

"That one would look amazing on you!" Kasumi pointed to one inlaid with a large ruby. "It matches your eyes perfectly."

"It's 400,000 Yen!" Sumire squeaked in disbelief. B-besides… I actually like that one." Pointing to one slightly further down the line, Sumire couldn't rip her eyes away from the clear stone, inlaid in starburst pattern, beautifully scattering light. It seemed vaguely religious in nature, but Sumire couldn't figure out why she felt that way. Although it was a fraction of the price of the previous, it was still well outside her budget.

"Hmm…" Kasumi muttered impressed. "Maybe you can actually do this. But unless you find a rich boyfriend, I don't think it's in your near future."

"B-boyfriend!?" Sumire squeaked. "I-It's not like I'm looking for one."

"I never said you were," Kasumi replied. Facing Sumire, Kasumi's face turned more serious. "Although I'm guessing you haven't given up on that transfer student, have you?"

"I-I'm not sure." Glancing at the ground, Sumire remembered Kasumi's words from last week. The humiliation as she'd stared up at Kasumi while she lectured her. About how Sumire didn't even know the transfer student.

"Sumire…" Kasumi said gently, "If you go diving into a relationship without knowing the person, you're only going to get hurt."

"I know! Okay?" Sumire spat back, upset at her sister's condescending tone. "I'm the same age as you, alright? There's just… something special about him." Blushing again, Sumire was shocked she actually spoke her feelings out loud.

"I think you're right…"

"Huh?" Grabbing onto her sister's words with surprising alacrity, Sumire's head jumped back up so that she could stare into Sumire's brown eyes.

"I-I mean… I just…"

"Kasumi do you…"

"From the few times we've talked…"

"Have a crush on him?"

"…" Blushing bright red Kasumi's whole body shuffled under the question. "N-no, I don't. I just think… he seems like a… dependable person."

"Grr…" Sumire pouted as she stared at her sister. The fears of last week were coming back. Even if Kasumi wasn't dating him, Sumire had no chance against the perfect Kasumi!

"A-anyway," Kasumi spoke with forced enthusiasm, "We should move ooooon." The final syllable contorted into a yawn as Kasumi's upper body swayed slightly.

"Are you alright?" Sumire asked quickly, the previous anger inconsequential before Kasumi's health. "Maybe we should find a place you can sit down."

"N-no, we can keep going," Kasumi assured her, however, much of the previous energy had been lost. "So what store are we going to next."

"…Umm, yes, let's go!" Shouting the words in embarrassment a few seconds late, Sumire found herself distracted by the look in Kasumi's eyes. There had been some other emotion besides exhaustion present. For a brief, foolish second, Sumire thought it may have been fear.

Unable to process the strangeness for now, Sumire led them out of the accessories until they eventually found a clothing store. This one was far busier, with all sorts of people flooding the cramped spaces searching for good deals, or clothes to try.

"Well, good luck!" Kasumi called to her before entering the aisles for herself, quickly disappearing from Sumire's view.

"Oh no… I can't do this…" Muttering to herself, Sumire stood frozen at the entrance. It wasn't that she was afraid of cramped spaces, or many people… It was the impossibility of the task that she'd signed herself up for. How on earth was she supposed to find something that fit her among the massive selections, all while people wove in and out, searching for themselves.

"Excuse me missy, can I help you?"

Turning around, Sumire let out a yelp upon seeing a stranger behind her. The tall man had an imposing beard and ragged clothes. With a lump in her throat, Sumire quickly waved her head in denial.

"Are you sure?"

"My sister is waiting inside!" Leaving it there, Sumire fled into the shop for solace. Throwing herself amidst the shifting masses, Sumire received multiple glares which she ignored as she began searching.

Panic driving her, Sumire kept weaving, looking for an immaculate brown ponytail that would signify the presence of her sister. Kasumi would have been able to handle the man.

"Sumire?"

"Kasumi!" Sumire pled throwing herself on Kasumi. Hands tight around her waist, Sumire felt the fear slowly recede due to her sister's calming presence.

"Umm… Sumire, are you alright?"

"No," Sumire admitted, slowly releasing her sister. "I got so scared when you left, and then a man talked to me…"

"Did he touch you?" Kasumi asked urgently.

"No," Sumire replied meekly. "He may have just been trying to help."

"…"

"I was wrong, I'm too weak to find something for myself." The admission cut Sumire like a knife. Kasumi had no problems with this. The phantom thieves would laugh at Sumire's weakness if they saw her now.

"I'm sorry," Kasumi muttered, "I shouldn't have left you."

"Why are you apologizing?" Sumire sniffed back, ashamed at her weakness. "I failed you again…"

"Sumire," Kasumi chided her weakly. Taking her hand in hers, Kasumi forced Sumire to look at her before finishing. "You only fail when you've given up. Remember the amulet, you already found something you like. Now we just need to find something a little more affordable."

"W-wait…" Sumire stuttered with a realization. "I… already did it?"

"Of course you did," Kasumi answered with a roll of her eyes. "Do you know what you would have said before when I pointed out the first amulet?"

"Umm… Probably something about how right you are?"

"Something like that," Kasumi chuckled. "So, one more try, together?"

"Together." Sumire replied with a slight smile. "And Kasumi…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Never."

Sharing one last smile, the girls scanned the wares, no different than any of the other patrons.

* * *

_Tuesday May 3_ _rd_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

Sighing, Kasumi leaned back in her seat after the long day. The time had passed by quickly and yet, Kasumi had failed to do the one thing she'd meant to do. Ask Sumire about the calling card. Every time she had come close, Kasumi couldn't bring herself to do so. Even when the perfect chance had arisen.

There was something in Sumire's words that had stopped her. Something that had awoken a tingling in the back of Kasumi's neck. An intuition that Sumire had not viewed the recent events the same way Kasumi did. Blinking again, Kasumi tried to think past the infernal headache that had plagued her all day. A dull throbbing that dulled her senses and commanded her to go back to bed.

After meeting back up with their parents, Kasumi had lost all of the energy that had awoken at the thought of a sister's shopping trip. Kasumi vaguely remembered going to a restaurant, but couldn't even remember the food or its name.

Safe in her house, Kasumi was quickly losing the motivation to fight against the oncoming sleep. Even the guilt from knowing that her sister was working out right now couldn't motivate her to get up.

"Maybe just ten minutes… Until supper."

' _Knock, knock.'_ "Kasumi, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Huh?" Head mired in a fog, Kasumi was confused by the question. "What do you need?"

"To talk to you…" Her father's voice repeated slowly. "Were you… napping?"

"N-no," Kasumi replied, the yawn giving her away. "What do you need?" Forcing herself out the chair, Kasumi almost gave up halfway there. The sheer act of standing contrary to her body's demands. Kasumi couldn't believe how badly one late night had impaired her functions.

"Well…" Shinichi began once the door was open, "I got a call from your principal this morning."

"So that's why you were acting weird…" Kasumi muttered. The information had been told to her by Sumire, and it seemed she was right. Slightly embarrassed at not noticing, Kasumi tried to focus on the conversation.

"So, you noticed huh? I tried to play it off so that we could enjoy the day, however… I figured I should tell you now."

"Tell me what…"

"That the principal wants to meet us for lunch on Thursday."

Blinking, Kasumi wasn't sure she had heard correctly. "Just… the two of us?"

"No, the four of us." Shinichi replied seriously. "The way he wouldn't give me a straight answer… I'm sure this is related to the incident with that teacher, but I can't figure out how. Of course, if you don't want to attend, that's fine. But I accepted and so did your mother."

"I'll be there," Kasumi assured him. Positive despite her state. "I can't keep relying on you and mom to solve all of my problems."

"I'm not sure the last time I solved one of your problems was," Shinichi laughed. "But I am relieved to hear you say that. Something tells me the principal would be quite irate if your mom and I showed up without you two."

"Is Sumire coming?" Kasumi asked hesitantly. "Or have you not asked her yet?"

"Not yet, when she returns from training I will. Also, I wanted to ask about that… Did you give her your training spot because you were tired?"

"No!" Kasumi bit back, slightly ashamed that the thought had crossed her mind as well. "She won it off me fair and square."

"Well, I won't interfere in your business. I'm just glad to see the two of you getting along again."

"…Me too dad, me too." Kasumi muttered at his retreating form. Rubbing her eyes, Kasumi doubted she could take a nap now. "What the hell does the principal want?"

There was no way that they were in trouble. That would go through official school channels. The more she thought about, the less it made sense. No doubt her father had spent the entire trip mulling it over. If he had come to a conclusion, however, he hadn't shared it.

Giving up on figuring out a reason behind it, Kasumi returned to her desk for the time being. Pulling out her textbooks and class notes, Kasumi tried to throw herself into studying. Midterms were next week already. It was crazy how fast the first month had flown by.

Remembering the constant struggles of last night and numerous uses of google translate, Kasumi opened her English textbook with some interest. "Tsk," muttering irritably, the textbook and material was exactly what she remembered from class. The chapters were filled with reminders that English sentences must contain a subject and that verbs come before the object. Nothing that aided Kasumi in the translation of utter nonsense like: _Through the obfuscation of specifics pertaining to the anatomy of the trigeminal nerve, revelations relating to cognitive manipulation have been diminished._

Even now, Kasumi could see the lines of text burned into her eyes. The characters that she prided herself on her knowledge of, swam before her eyes in lines of unpronounceable garbage. All except that last article she found.

Studying forgotten, Kasumi ran her fingers along the desk, thinking about the claims contained. That research on a subject called 'cognitive science', had recently, and mysteriously, been wiped from existence. Some of the claims had been far beyond Kasumi's beliefs. That the government had discovered some powerful secret involving the discipline and therefore wiped out all traces of it. One concrete example, buried within the rambling text, had stood out to Kasumi. That a research lab had been funded for the sole purpose of studying this. Then, strangely, all the funding disappeared, and the land would turn into a stadium. It even listed a location: Odaiba.

That statement was the one that sent Kasumi to bed. She now had a tangible location to study. One that she knew well. Sumire and her had already talked about performing there, walking there sometimes merely to check on its progress. "Maybe I'll go there tomorrow… ask around."

Yet, even as she talked to herself, Kasumi found her eyes drawn to the corner of the room where the tablet sat, plugged in still from this morning. No doubt a simple internet search would reveal the truth easily enough. Whether or not the stadium in Odaiba had initially been a research lab. But Kasumi couldn't do it. She wasn't brave enough to face the fact that this… this change of heart may be a real thing. An untraceable crime to manipulate people as they feel free.

Groaning at her cowardice, Kasumi crumbled to her desk. Strangely, she found herself thinking of the transfer student, with his calm aura. "I want to talk to him…" Kasumi realized suddenly. To hear how he feels about the card. To spill her worries about it and have him assure her that everything is fine. Eyes closing, Kasumi's mouth split into a soft smile as sleep overtook her.

* * *

_Tuesday May 3_ _rd_ _, 20XX Evening_

"I'm home…" Opening the door, Sumire swayed from exhaustion as she let herself in. Coach Hiraguchi had been extra strict on her today. She had prepped a workout for Kasumi only to be greeted by Sumire. Therefore, Sumire had to do the workout instead.

No doubt supper had come and gone long ago. Every single rep, Hiraguchi could get had been drawn from Sumire. The training went probably an hour longer than normal. Add on top of that the shower, Sumire had soaked for far too long, and the slow walking pace had made it very late.

_Walking pace?_

Ignoring the errant thought, Sumire took in the darker than usual surroundings. Sitting at the table was her father, reading a newspaper. Beside him was a plate with food on it. Sumire's portion of supper that had been left out, wrapped to preserve it. Wincing, Sumire realized it was probably even later than she thought.

"There you are," her father spoke softly, his voice revealing no emotions. "Is there a reason you didn't return my call?"

"You're call?" Utterly spent form the long day, Sumire muttered in confusion. Her hand reaching automatically for the pocket with her cell phone. Bringing it out, Sumire looked at it for awhile only to realize it had died.

Sighing, Shinichi rubbed his eyes. "Your phone died? We need to replace that at some point. I've been sitting here thinking about calling the police for hours. Coach Hiraguichi said you left over two hours ago, what happened?"

"Uhhh…" At the question Sumire had no good answer. Had it really taken her so long to get home? She remembered stopping briefly to listen to a politician in Shibuya, but that shouldn't have taken so long. Except… "M-My apologies!"

Stuttering nervously, the time finally came back to Sumire. How after listening to the politician she had begun walking. Walking home. Completely forgetting about the subway beneath her feet that could have completed the trip in a fraction of the time. Wincing, Sumire wondered how she could have made this mistake.

"…Well, anyway," Shinichi sighed, putting down the newspaper to rub his temples. "Why don't you warm up supper quickly, then we can talk while you eat it."

"Y-yes!" Sumire replied obediently. As she worked though, which involved throwing the plate in the microwave for a sensor reheat, her once dormant stomach growled loudly in urgency. It had reached its limit of being ignored.

The few minutes of heating were uninterrupted by conversation. An awkward silence hanging over the room as Sumire waited. She couldn't help but fret over what was coming. It was clearly a matter important enough that it couldn't wait for tomorrow.

With an incessant beep, the microwave announced the completion of its task. Gingerly withdrawing the heated contents, Sumire sat down to sate her ravenous appetite. Throwing out a quick "Itadakimasu," Sumire began shoveling the food down her throat. Each bite was restoring some of the energy she'd spent today, turning her back into a functioning human.

"W-well," Shinichi stuttered, unable to quite get used to his girls' eating habits when they really got going. "I got a call from your principal this morning."

"Urk!" The shocking words halting her carefully designed system of inhaling food, Sumire coughed loudly as she chocked on the food. Pounding on her chest, Sumire tried to dislodge the food that had gotten stuck.

"This is why you shouldn't eat so fast," Shinichi berated her lightly, sliding a glass of water toward her.

Drinking noisily from the cup, Sumire panted as she finally finished removing the chocking hazard. "You… could have acted like you were worried…"

Chuckling softy at his daughter's retort, Shinichi answered wryly, "I knew that food wouldn't finish you off."

Sticking her tongue out at him, Sumire stopped eating so that she could process her father's words. "Do… Do you know what the principal wants?"

"Yes. Lunch together on Thursday. Whole family. To… discuss things."

"Discuss things?" Sumire muttered. "Isn't this… a little strange?"

"Absolutely," Shinichi agreed. "He should have had to get board approval to meet with us in this manner. More than that, school dollars must be paying for the lunch. I don't see how he could have possibly managed it."

Slowly starting back on her food, Sumire found herself with nothing to say. She felt blindsided by this development. Sumire wanted nothing to do with school except pass it… and maybe get to know a certain someone. Except… Wincing, Sumire tried to banish the decision that tried to cripple her. Besides that, Sumire wanted to concentrate on gymnastics.

"I wanted to say, if you don't want to come, that's fine."

"I can not show up?" Sumire blinked in confusion.

"That's right. This is an unsanctioned event; he can't punish you for not coming."

"…" Musing it over, Sumire asked another question, "what's Kasumi doing?"

"She decided to come," Shinichi spoke slowly, "however, you should make your own decision."

"No. If Kasumi is going, I'll go as well." Leaving it there, Sumire had nothing more to say, her mind was a mess. She was beginning to remember what happened to her today. Why she had spent so long coming home.

Bowing her head, Sumire tried to lose herself in the food. To eat and eat and forget about her thoughts for a minute. The swirling inconsistencies that had been brought on by the shopping trip.

"Are you alright?" Shinichi asked again. "Like I said, even if Kasumi goes, you don't…"

"I do!" Sumire interrupted. "Why don't you understand that!? If Kasumi can endure a lunch with the principal then so can I!"

"S-Sumire!?"

Ignoring her father's confused voice, Sumire chucked her dishes in the sink and stalked off to her room. Not even bothering to wash off the residual pieces. She was still hungry but couldn't face her father anymore. Not after what she'd said.

Opening her door, Sumire have expected her father to call after her. To apologize or demand an apology. When nothing came, Sumire retreated into the room, closing it soundly behind her. Finding the plug-in for her phone, Sumire sat on the ground so she could watch as her phone began its bootup sequence. The logo flashed awkwardly, simply one more sign of the device's impending doom.

As it finally loaded, Sumire winced as the list of missed call notifications rolled in. And there, near the bottom, was a different kind of notification, a text message. From Kasumi.

_Are you alright?_

That's all the message said. Still, Sumire smiled when she saw it. Kasumi, despite her promise, couldn't help but worry about Sumire. Soon after, Sumire felt the pain. It was things like this that had brought on the revelation for Sumire. The one that had sent her on a spiral of emotions culminating in a two hour walk home.

_Do you like the transfer student?_

Sending it without thinking, Sumire waited anxiously for the reply. She was sure she knew what the answer was but wanted confirmation.

_This again? I thought I told you that there was nothing between us._

_I'm glad you're home._

The two messages came in quick succession, one after another. No doubt Kasumi had heard Sumire shouting at their father. Discarding that, Sumire frowned at the first message she received.

_That wasn't what I asked. You like him, right?_

Putting it into words, Sumire was sure now. That slight blush on Kasumi's cheeks. How she talked about his mysterious aura.

_I'm not sure._

The reply came back a few minutes later. Kasumi clearly seemed torn about answering. Chewing on a fingernail, Sumire thought about her reply as she rocked back and forth. Sumire was sure she knew the answer that was floating in her heart, but it was still so hard to say. She knew that if this was in person, she wouldn't be able to do it.

_Kasumi, you've always helped me out, today reminded me of that. Even if I won the bet, it was only because you were there._

Taking a break, Sumire's hands literally shook as she tried to compose the rest of the message. It was more difficult than she thought it would be. She was doing the right thing! Wasn't she? Groaning, Sumire hated her indecisive self. She'd decided Kasumi was right. That she simply had to get over her crush and focus on gymnastics! This was the right thing to do! Repeatedly telling herself the same thing in hopes that she would eventually believe it, Sumire typed out the rest of the message.

_That's why, I'll support you if you go after the transfer student. I'm so far behind you, I need to focus only on gymnastics if I hope on catching up to you._

Breathes coming ragged, Sumire felt like she was melting as she waited for the reply. Rocking quicker now, it was only a few seconds later when her phone buzzed again. Quickly bringing it up to read the response, Sumire's heart was hammering with anticipation. She couldn't predict what Kasumi's response would be.

"It… died?"

Groaning again, Sumire briefly debated throwing her phone against the wall. The continued use had proved too much for the phone. However… Finding the cord, Sumire blushed as she realized she'd unplugged it while rocking.

Quickly grabbing the cord, Sumire fumbled for a few seconds before slotting the connecting pieces together. Peering at the phone, she released a relieved sigh as the bootup sequence started again. Sumire suspected that the continual death was bad for the device.

Even when it finally rebooted, there was no notification waiting for her. Sumire was unsure what to make of that. She doubted Kasumi had gotten distracted by something else. She probably just didn't know how to reply.

Setting the phone back on the floor, Sumire stretched and stood back up. Even though she had showered back at the training facility, she found herself wanting to take a bath. A long, hot bath to soak away her troubles. Besides, Sumire decided she deserved it. Sure, it felt like letting Kasumi have the transfer student felt like giving up. But it was totally for focusing on gymnastics. Totally.

"I'm not running away…"

The words sounded hollow to her hears. The red scarf around neck felt like it was strangling her. The lightweight cloth was designed for spring and summertime. Sumire had found it herself and Kasumi agreed it fit her well. It was what got her an extra training slot today. Now, the scarf felt like a brick. As if Sumire had abandoned the principals that had led her to picking it out. Allowing it drop to the floor, Sumire repeated the words once again to herself.

"I am not running away."

Trying to convince herself of that fact, Kasumi left to go to the bathroom as her phone buzzed behind her.

* * *

_Wednesday May 4_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Ren stood at the counter awkwardly, as he got called out on his gambit. "30,000 is fine."

"That's what I thought," the storekeeper smirked. "Here ya go. Remember, no questions."

Nodding in understanding, Ren quickly pocketed the money. Funds for the lunch he'd be going to tomorrow with Ann and Ryuji. A celebration in taking down Kamoshida. Ren found himself strangely excited for it. Even if Ann hadn't told them where they were going yet.

"Hmm, so they're finally coming."

"…?"

"Here kid, take this bag. Don't look at it and get out of here."

Hesitantly taking the brown paper bag, Ren was thoroughly confused at this change in events. With the sound of soft chimes, the front door opened revealing two men in suits.

"Get out of here kid."

Taking the storekeeper's advice to heart, Ren stepped out of the way as the two men barged to the counter, taking his place. Pausing at the door, Ren felt awkward just walking out. Would that make him look suspicious?

"Munehisa Iwai, yes?"

"That's me," the shopkeeper answered agreeably. "Can I help you folks out?"

"We're going to need security tapes of the past day."

Uh oh. Starting to sweat, Ren wasn't sure what to do. If they got those security tapes… his transaction with the medal would be seen. He couldn't have cops interrogating him about a fake Olympic gold medal.

"Of course you can."

_!?_

"What do you mean, of course?" The cop prodded, suspicious.

"That's what a good upstanding citizen is supposed to say, right?" Iwai replied languidly, his teasing smile counter to his words.

"Are you sure that lead was legit?"

"I'm sure it was…" Turning the cop locked unto Ren, still meandering by the door. "Hey kid, what's in the bag?"

_Shit._

Cursing himself internally, Ren didn't know what to say. Any of the immediate answers all sounded suspicious. "What's it matter?"

_Oops._

Ren could practically hear Iwai's repressed groan at his suspicious answer. Standing there awkwardly, Ren could only wait as the suspicious cop advanced toward him.

"Ah, leave the kid be," his partner laughed.

"Fine. Get out of here punk."

Taking his cue, Ren left and hoped that Iwai would be able to keep them away from the security footage. Outside in the sun, it seemed like a completely different world from the dark shop just a few feet away.

"Well?" Morgana asked insistently, poking out of his bag.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to look?" Morgana asked again. "I mean, what did he give you that he couldn't let those cops see? Suspicious, isn't it?"

Staying silent, Ren showed his agreement by opening the bag. Inside was…

"A real gun!?" Morgana shouted, shocked.

"No…" Ren denied, taking a closer look at it.

"Ah, I see," Morgana agreed after a closer look. "It's a model, but it's so similar to the real thing! Imagine how strong it would be in the metaverse!"

"That's true," Ren agreed. "Although, you're implying that we'll be going again."

"W-wait! What does that mean?" Morgana hissed as Ren began walking, tucking the bag away for now. "Y-you promised that you'll help me find my memories."

"Yes," Ren agreed slowly, "I just don't see how that involves visiting the metaverse. Unless… you know something you haven't told us."

"No," Morgana growled, "I already said that I feel like the answer lays in a palace somewhere. Or maybe… a little in every palace? Never mind for now, I have an idea we can check out later."

"Alright," Ren shrugged. "But we can't go around changing the heart of everybody just because we don't like them."

"Why not?" Morgana shot back. "Their desires are distorted, you're correcting them."

"It just…" Ren frowned, "doesn't seem right. Kamoshida was a necessity. He had hurt too many people and had help covering up his crimes."

"You know," Morgana said sympathetically. "There are plenty of worse people out there than Kamoshida. Ones that have hurt far more than Kamoshida."

"…I know," Ren sighed. "The world is filled with horrible people that act only for themselves, taking everything they can."

"Adults abusing the one's they are supposed to be protecting," Morgana agreed to the solemn conversation. "Anyway, we should probably return to LeBlanc pretty soon. The master doesn't like you staying out."

"Yeah, he's a bit of a hard ass," Ren winced, thinking about his guardian. "Although he does like you."

"Who doesn't?" Morgana scoffed. "Although sometimes I wish our room wasn't so dusty."

"Or that we had a real bed," Ren winced, remembering the first few nights of trying to sleep, only to wake up with aches. Even now the rickety thing was almost as hard as the floor.

"I can only imagine," Morgana sighed. "Although… did the boss ever say why you can't stay at his house?"

"Mentioned on the first day," Ren replied tonelessly, " _Reasons."_

"Seriously? That sucks."

The silence lapsed for awhile as Ren navigated his way across the packed crossing and too the subway station. One train ride to Yongen station.

"Isn't that suspicious though?" Morgana asked continuing the lapsed conversation. "Maybe the boss is hiding something!"

"Or he doesn't trust me enough to not kill him in his sleep," Ren laughed sharply, not feeling the humour.

"Ouch, I don't think it's quite that bad."

"True…" Ren agreed with a sigh. "Just a bit on edge after that run-in with the cops. Brings back bad memories."

"Right," Morgana answered sadly. "No wonder you lost your cool back then."

"No, it isn't an excuse I can use, I have to get better." Ren denied. He had felt the improvements within himself ever since that first day here and awakening to his persona. He may not belief in the 'rehabilitation' preached by the velvet room attendees, but Ren was still convinced that he could continue to improve.

"You really are special; you know that Ren?" Morgana laughed. "Just for you, I'll check out the Boss's house in my spare time, see if there's anything suspicious with the place."

"That would be helpful," Ren agreed. "I'll check his name in the Nav when we return just to make sure. I doubt it'll generate a hit."

"Why's that?"

"He took in," Red answered, like the words explained everything. "As far as I can tell, he gets nothing out of it besides some forced help around the store. I doubt that what I do pays for the money he spends on food for me."

"You got a point there," Morgana agreed. "Still better safe than sorry."

Nodding in agreement, Ren appreciated having Morgana here. Even if the cat could be annoying at times, he was still a friend that had helped Ren immensely. Smiling slightly, Ren looked forward to the celebration tomorrow.

* * *

_Wednesday May 4_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

"A-again?" stuttering in fear, Kasumi was slowly being overwhelmed by coach Hiraguchi's strict training. Her body felt slow and uncoordinated from the two days off. Now, Hiraguchi was coming down on her with a vicious revenge.

"I thought you wanted to compete internationally!?"

"I do," Kasumi groaned in reply, the pained words escaping her lips as she began another set of leg lifts, her core muscles screaming in agony.

"Then why are you complaining? You know, Sumire did all of this yesterday without a complaint."

"S-Sumire did?" Kasumi replied stunned. Mind lost in the thought, Kasumi briefly forgot about the pain as she considered Hiraguchi's remark. How did the Sumire that had given up on her crush possibly have the motivation to finish this routine? It was madness. "Was she… acting strangely?"

"No stranger than you," Hiraguchi replied. "Gloves up, triple jab into left hook."

"Y-yes," Pulling herself off the floor, Kasumi felt her chest tighten with a sullen rage. Sumire had never replied to Kasumi's final message, a simple two words: _I see._

While Kasumi certainly hadn't been thrilled by Sumire's immediate attraction to such an infamous character, this surrendering was even more strange. Kasumi had thought Sumire's confidence had been building. She'd picked things out while shopping and had even bought a beautiful scarf that turned her into a mysterious beauty when wrapped correctly.

"Let's go!"

"Y-yes!" chastised for lagging, Kasumi picked the routine up, trying to dive back into it. Hearing Sumire had finished this lit a fire within Kasumi to do the same. To push past Sumire's accomplishments and go further. However, her sister's strange mood about the transfer student had dampened that desire. The strange swirl and mix or emotions and circumstances made Kasumi want to scream.

She wasn't made to handle Phantom thieves, and romance, and odd sisters, and odd meetings with principals. Kasumi had been built to get good grades and perform high level rhythmic gymnastics. Not all of this complicated garbage!

Channeling all of her confusion, Kasumi turned it into anger and funneled it into her punches. Hoping that the exercise and thrill of punching something would help her sort through her issues.

"That's more like it!" Hiraguchi praised her, adapting to the increase in tempo flawlessly. "Now change it up!"

Flipping her stance, Kasumi began the routine as a left-handed person would. Hiraguchi didn't allow them to have a weaker arm or leg. A gymnast needed perfect balance in order to perform optimally. With unrelenting force, Kasumi dove into the routine with the proficiency of a lefthander. Years of this treatment removing any awkwardness from her off hand.

"Nice! Take a break."

"Huh?" Stumbling from cancelling her punch halfway through, Kasumi staggered from the rush of exhaustion. All the of the flowing anger had dispersed leaving her empty. The exercise had been a welcome relief; however, it still didn't change the reality that Kasumi was facing.

Coach Hiraguchi was going to the wall, getting a drink as she made her rounds through the other students. None of them received the same level of attention of Kasumi. But none of them were worked as hard as Kasumi was either. None of them had the same ambitions.

Glancing toward the water station, Kasumi swallowed once more, her parched throat demanding aqua nourishment. Deciding she could manage for another minute, Kasumi followed Hiraguchi, waiting until she finished working with one of the other students.

"Coach?"

"What is it Kasumi? I have other people to train you know."

"Please, I have to know. What was Sumire like yesterday."

Finally stopping, Hiraguchi sighed before turning to stare straight at Kasumi. "It's hard to describe. She did everything I asked of her with no complaints or whining. Never asked for a break. But at the same time, she didn't push herself either and was unresponsive to my prodding. Her body was present, but her mind was somewhere else." Leaving it there, coach stalked away from Kasumi, completing her rounds.

"Sumire…" Muttering her name, Kasumi slid down to the ground at her designated portion of wall. Taking small sips from the bottle, Kasumi was confused. Her sister's actions were so illogical. Saying one thing and then doing another. Barely a week ago, Sumire had refused to talk to Kasumi based on a misunderstanding! Now, after it's been cleared up, she gave up on the guy she liked.

Hand reaching unconsciously behind her, Kasumi flipped her ponytail in front of her and began tugging on it lightly. A habit Kasumi had broken years ago.

The relief from the workout was already completely gone. Usually completing a routine would feel Kasumi with joy, a tangible feeling that she was getting closer to her goal. Now, she could hardly focus. Sumire was such a conundrum to Kasumi. She was beginning to doubt that she ever understood her sister.

"Maybe she's just depressed…"

Breathing the words out, Kasumi considered it briefly. As last year had come to a close, Sumire had stopped smiling. A tangible aura of sorrow surrounding the girl. But…

"That's impossible, isn't it?"

Kasumi didn't know much about the mental illness that was entering mainstream media more and more, however, Sumire wasn't like those people. Sumire was successful, Sumire had a happy family, Sumire worked out. She couldn't possibly succumb to something like that. Her life may not be perfect, but it wasn't far from it.

Yet, a small voice in the back of Kasumi's head wouldn't go away. It sounded like Hiraguchi. The coach's words from last month coming back: _who was it perfect for?_ Pulling harder on her ponytail, Kasumi forced the voice away.

"I'm in the middle of a workout…"

Reminding herself of that fact, Kasumi took one last drink and stood-up, waiting for the next circuit anxiously.

* * *

_Wednesday May 4_ _th_ _, Evening_

"You can't possibly…"

"Don't make me repeat myself!" The voice on the other side of the telephone raged. The person unable to handle any disloyalty. "We can't take any chances, not when we're this close to greatness. Begin investigating immediately!"

"…Yes sir." Containing his sigh until after he hung up, Akechi stowed his cell phone. He couldn't believe the impossible demands that had been inflicted upon him. And yet, glancing over the notes from the confession, Akechi began to notice the strange peculiarities. The man in question, Suguru Kamoshida had never gone missing or had any strange encounters. The time leading up his confession was perfectly ordinary, and he had full recollection of it.

Clenching his fist, Akechi had to hand it to Shido, the case was exceedingly similar to the psychotic incidents that he started. Akechi's eyes blazed in anger as he considered it. He couldn't figure out how it was done. That, more than anything infuriated him. Even if his reputation as the detective prince was fabricated with self-perpetuated crimes, Akechi still prided himself on his intelligence.

In the case of Kamoshida… nothing. It was truly as if the man's moral compass had changed one night. The weight of his crimes too much to bear. Even considering the tools available in the cognitive world, Akechi was coming up blank. He hated that there may be someone else out there with his powers. No, even worse, someone whose powers exceeded his own, in some strange way. Someone who no doubt thought they were carrying out justice by forcing Kamoshida to reveal his crimes.

"I don't know you… But I hate you, and I swear I'll kill you one day."

Revealing his true face to the world for one brief second, Akechi's face split into a wicked smile, his deranged madness on display for any to see.

Closing his eyes, Akechi flipped that switch inside and let the detective prince take over. The carefully crafted personality that hid the trickster within.

* * *

_Thursday May 5_ _th_ _, Morning_

"Are those… cakes? And that's… meat." Speaking dully, Ren stared nonplussed at his companions. Returning to their table each one had only grabbed copious amounts of one type of food.

"Ugh, these fools," Morgana moaned, "so what did you get for us."

"Oh, uh we weren't sure," Ryuji answered carefully.

"Yep! You seem like daring people so… here you go!"

"Beans," Ren and Morgana spoke at the same time. Their overlapping voices carrying with them a twin condemnation of the two.

"Let's go get our own food."

"Yeah. Thanks for uh… You know what, nevermind." Unable to even thank them, Ren picked up Morgana's bag and sauntered toward the buffet. People, mainly well-dressed adults lined rows of food. Each person only putting at most a bite of each dish on their plate. Like they were having a competition for who could eat the least of each.

"So, where do we start?" Ren asked Morgana.

"Hmm, over there. Near the rice dishes."

"A solid base," Ren agreed with a nod. Rice was the perfect foundation upon which they could add the other delicacies.

Beginning to scoop the dish, Ren couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on beside him. A well-dressed man was lecturing to a woman about how the current minister of transportation was all but done. He would be forced to resign, destabilizing the current government. He didn't sound very remorseful about it either.

"And soon!... Huh, is this kid staring at us?"

"Crap!" Morgana hissed, "keep moving."

Quickly grabbing the rest of what he wanted, Ren moved on, leaving the adults to their conversation. Turning he went to find the next dish.

"May as well grab the dessert since its right there," Morgana advised. "Looks like there are more conversations we can eavesdrop on. May be a good place to get information."

Nodding in agreement, Ren moved over there. Keeping his head low to avoid suspicion, Ren tried to listen while keeping an ear out. Grabbing some of the first dessert quickly, Ren moved his hand to the next, looking for the tongs.

"Eep!"

Feeling another hand touch his, Ren quickly retracted his hand and raised his head, losing concentration on the conversation. Hopefully Morgana could tell him the details later.

However… "You!"

"S-Senpai!" The red-haired girl squeaked loudly drawing the disapproving gazes of the other patrons.

"What is a child doing in an establishment like this?"

"Indeed, if you're rich you should know better and leave them with the nanny."

While the rude words dampened the mood, Ren barely heard them as he blinked in shock. While the girl had certainly been cute the first time Ren had seen her, she looked downright gorgeous now. The pale blue dress and sparkling earrings accented her pale skin tone and red eyes beautifully. Even the glasses didn't detract from her looks. They simply made her seem more approachable. Without them, Ren doubted he'd be able to come up with anything to say.

"I-I'm sorry I interrupted you."

_That wasn't it._

Berating himself internally, Ren was glad that at least the sentence hadn't been stupid. Even if it was vague and awkward.

"N-no," the girl replied back, voice only slightly quieter than before. "I-I stopped you after all."

"Serve her some!" Morgana berated Ren quietly.

Thanking him internally, Ren scooped a portion that he was going to take and proffered the dish to the girl.

"Oh, umm thanks. I guess I should just come back if I want more later…" The girl muttered sadly, looking down at the generous portion as if Ren had given her a small morsel.

"O-oh, uh…" Scooping another plate, Ren doubled the size and switched the dishes.

"N-no, senpai! I couldn't possibly leave you with so little," the girl protested.

_How much does she eat!?_

Baffled by her sense of portion size, Ren could only smile, in what he hoped was a reassuring way. Regrettably, the chance meeting had completely disarmed him. Followed by this weird food interaction, Ren had no idea what to say next.

"Umm, y-you've met my sister, right?"

Tilting his head in confusion, Ren didn't understand the question. He had literally seen them at the same time outside the guidance office. Unsure if it was a trick question, Ren decided nodding was the safest path at this point.

"W-what do you think of her?"

"Your sister?" Ren murmured, thinking of the brown-haired Yoshizawa sister, with the beauty mark under her left eye. "She's very… serious?"

"What?" Morgana muttered, his backseat commentary less than helpful at this time. Still, serious was the first word that came to mind when Ren thought about her. Of the two times they had talked, the first she'd demanded to know what Kamoshida had done to Ryuji. The second, she wanted to know the truth about Ren's record.

"So… You don't like her?"

"…What?"

"Umm… Thank you, senpai! I have to return to my group now."

Turning his head to look at Morgana, the cat seemed just as confused as he was. Returning to the food, Ren quickly finished collecting the dishes, only paying half an ear to the conversations around him.

Sitting down, Ren laid the spread he'd collected out in a semicircle around him. Looking at it now, it was a fearsome amount of food. Adding in Ryuji and Ann's portions, it was an unsurmountable amount for three people and a cat to consume.

"Dude, why'd you get so much?" Ryuji berated him.

"Seriously," Ann agreed with a frown. "That's a lot."

"We had to cover for you two not knowing how to choose!" Morgana spat back in defense of Ren. "Now pass me that plate with the fish on it!"

"Woah! Hold up guys," Ryuji called. "Is that… the principal?"

"Can't be…" Ann denied, also turning to look past Ren's head. A second later, the fork she was holding fell to the plate with a soft clatter.

"Also… Damn! That fine first-year that's into me is with him!" Ryuji guffawed.

Ren took the news silently, not turning around. He wasn't surprised to hear both sisters were here. What did shock him was that they were with the principal. That seemed… unethical? Unmoral maybe? If not, then at least strange, especially considering how one teacher at the school just confessed to sexual assault. The principal should be trying to distance himself from any possible implications of impropriety at this time.

"Yeah right," Ann replied following Ryuji's gaze, "as if you could land a girl like that."

"Dude!" Ryuji replied offended. "We're both athletes so you know… we vibe."

"Whatever," Ann dismissed him, "those older people, the girl's parents?"

"Probably," Ren agreed without turning around. "It would be strange for the principal to invite just the girls out to a fancy lunch."

Receiving two noncommittal grunts, everyone's gazes were drawn back to the food. Even the presence of their principal unable to stop them from admiring the upper-class food they'd never normally be able to eat.

Still even as he began digging into the food, Ren kept thinking about the two sisters. He hadn't actually talked to the red-haired one since she ran into him on the train last month. Ren had simply trying to be nice to her then, he wasn't prepared for the butterflies in his stomach seeing her like this. Even stranger, was that Ren wanted to turn around and see how her sister looked as well. Would the more mature brown-haired one wear a dress that complimented that side or her? Or perhaps she'd play up her innocent side?

Only through sheer force of will and the delectability of the food was Ren able to keep his gaze fixed upon his own table. Ren was glad that no one was talking, too focused on the food in front of them. If they were, there was no way he'd be able to focus on the contents. He wanted to look so badly!

Caught between heaven and hell, the meal continued.

* * *

_Thursday May 5_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"It seems you sister has yet to return."

"Umm, yes…" Replying meekly, Kasumi didn't know what to say. Not feeling very hungry, Kasumi had rushed through the buffet, only grabbing some portions of everything. Still, Sumire should have returned to the table by now. Kasumi had seen her eyeing the dessert stand, but that had been a while ago.

"Well, no sense in waiting," the principal decided. "Itadaki…"

"I'm here!" Throwing her plates on the table, Sumire crushed in on the sofa beside Kasumi, closer than she need to be.

"…"

"O-oh, did I interrupt. M-my apologies principal…"

"…Pay it no mind child. Now, let's eat, shall we?"

"Itadakimasu!"

Saying the traditional greeting, the adults began to dig into their food. The principal with far less poise then their parents were showing. Kasumi was able to deduce the reason for the principal's girth rather easily from the display that he was making. Not that she ate much slower, but certainly healthier. The amount of sugar and fat on the principal's plate would put Kasumi into a coma.

Trying to begin eating as well, Kasumi felt a poke on her arm. Turning her head, Sumire was smiling at her, an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Look over there."

Whispering the words, Kasumi followed the pointed chopstick to a nearby table. There were two chairs and sofa surrounding it. Staring at the back of the sofa, Kasumi locked onto a person she knew. "Sakamoto-senpai…" Going to the other chair, Kasumi found herself strangely disappointed that it was a girl sitting there and not the transfer student. Still, it was a girl she knew, even if she had never talked to her. Ann Takamaki, the famous victim of Kamoshida. Opinion on her had really done a 180.

Then… Getting distracted, Sumire found the third person. A mop of black hair peeking over the sofa. Heart beginning to pick up speed, Kasumi couldn't believe the coincidence.

"Why don't you go say hello?" Sumire teased.

"M-maybe I will later," Kasumi shot back quietly. "Why don't you?"

"I already did." Sumire sniffed imperiously. Moments after, a strange look entered her eyes. Like she was conflicted about something. Second guessing giving up on the transfer stundent after meeting him again, Kasumi thought.

"You aren't eating girls?"

Quickly facing front again, Kasumi couldn't help but blush under her father's gaze. "J-just a quick chat. Nothing important."

_Why did I say that?_

Unable to face her father's understandable confusion, Kasumi dug into her food with a fervor. The small portion sizes she had taken disappearing quickly with her rejuvenated appetite. All too soon, her chopsticks were scraping the bottom, nothing else left to inhale. Awkwardly dropping the utensils, Kasumi blushed as she caught a knowing glance from Sumire.

"My, it seems like I'm not the only one here with an appetite!" Kobayakawa chuckled, his considerably larger plate also drained already. "Why don't we grab seconds while the others clean up?"

"Actually, I…" Cutting off, Kasumi looked back at Sumire. This time her expression was guarded. Briefly debating the meaning, Kasumi nodded. "That sounds wonderful."

Without a word Sumire moved to let Kasumi out. Taking the offer hesitantly, Kasumi let herself up and had access to the food once more.

"Oh ho, well don't mind me!" Waddling off, Kobayakawa headed in a straight line toward the dessert table.

Sending Sumire one final, confused glance, Kasumi began walking slowly among the mingling adults. She was struggling to figure out her sister's strange acceptance. That hesitation in her eyes earlier, she was second guessing her decision, right?

_I shouldn't talk to the transfer student._

With that thought floating through her head, Kasumi groaned internally. It was the right thing to do, especially with Sumire being so weird. But what was one innocent conversation? Especially when Kasumi longed so badly to hear his take on the phantom thieves and their strange powers.

Torn, Kasumi found herself staring dully at the food, avoiding looking at that table. However, she no longer had an appetite. Not like she ever had; she just ate to avoid Sumire's glances.

"Are you done yet?"

"Huh? Oh, uh my apologies." Getting chastised by a well-dressed adult, Kasumi moved out of the way.

"You know though…" The man murmured, stopping, and looking at her. "You are working that dress. If you're free, why not join me at my table. I'm sure I can find some work for you."

"T-that's…" Frozen, Kasumi found herself not knowing what to say. How was she supposed to deny this person? Many people had heard his words, they just didn't seem to care. Glancing around for help, Kasumi was sure that at least one of the adults would tell him to leave her alone. Anyone would do… All she needed was a small excuse.

"Is that a yes then? Well, come along, oh and be sure to stay silent."

"N-N…" Unable to get a single word out, Kasumi found his hand on her elbow, beginning to drag her with him.

_I'm stronger than this. I don't need people to help me._

Trying to repeat the mantra in her head, Kasumi jerked her elbow from his grip.

"Excuse me?" The man asked, his voice low and deadly.

"I-I have prior engagements but thank you for your offer."

"Prior engagements?" He sneered. "Don't make me laugh, the only reason you're here is to make a quick dollar. Now shut up and…"

"She's with me," another voice interrupted. "I believe you were getting food sir."

"Tck, no good brats," Turning around with a dismissive sniff, the man finally left.

"Thank you so much sir, I don't know… S-Senpai!?" Squeaking, Kasumi found her face on fire as she turned to view her saviour. There he was, casual clothes and all he stood out massively in this crowd. Even with her sun yellow dress, Kasumi felt a little-undressed. The majority of the women had gaudy amulets compared to her simple necklace.

"It's good to see you again," he spoke that calm aura still unfazed. "I talked to your sister earlier."

"D-did you!?" Kasumi answered, voice starting to come under control. "T-thank you for your help. I didn't know how to get rid of him."

"I think you would have managed," the transfer student answered with a mysterious confidence. "You look like someone that can accomplish anything they put their mind to."

"Again, thank you for the kind words," Kasumi muttered in answer. "However, I'm not so sure of that anymore."

"I think he's coming back," her senpai spoke, staring over Kasumi's shoulder. "Why don't you come sit at our table for awhile until he goes away?"

"Again, thank you for the offer…" Following along meekly, Kasumi was a jumble of emotions. She hadn't planned on talking to him. No matter how tempted she was, she simply wasn't going to do it. Not to a boy her sister probably still liked, whatever her messages had said.

"U-umm, please excuse me," Sitting meekly beside the transfer student at the table, Kasumi pretended not to notice the cat in his bag that had quickly retracted its head when it saw her. The two people in the chairs were gaping at her.

"She was being bothered by some guy, so I offered a spot for now."

"I-I see…" Sakamoto responded. "H-hey there, how's school going?"

"M-me?" Kasumi answered awkwardly. Raising her head, she wasn't quite sure what was wrong with Sakamoto-senpai. His face had a fake grin plastered upon it. "I think it is going well. Midterms next week shouldn't be too hard."

For some reason the word midterms sucked all energy out of the boy. "Why'd you have to remind me…"

"That's next week?" Takamaki groaned. "I haven't studied at all."

"Ignore them," the transfer student advised. "Although I must admit, I'm surprised to see you here with the principal."

"Oh," Kasumi answered agreeing internally with him. It would probably bad if it got out that they were getting preferential treatment. "Please don't mention this at school to anyone! I'm still not sure why he invited my family here."

Sakamoto snorted in response. The rather vulgar gesture totally opposite the atmosphere of the restaurant. "Like we have any friends to tell anyway."

"Actually," Kasumi found herself asking, intrigue piqued as her residual fear and embarrassment began to fade. "What are the three of you doing here? I can't imagine that it's easy to afford on a student's budget."

"We celebrating, of course!" Sakamoto replied instantly with a big grin. "Kamoshida is good and gone!"

Although the other two didn't answer, Kasumi felt a similar thrill of joy from them. The teacher that had caused them so much pain was finally gone. They could enjoy the rest of their school days in relative peace and happiness.

"Do you know what happened to him?" Kasumi found herself asking. The opportunity was too good to pass up. These three students were, along with the Suzui girl, the people most affected by Kamoshida.

At the question, the joy promptly faded, an awkward tension rising in its place. "No more than you," the transfer student answered.

Although Kasumi detected no change in him, only those unreadable eyes, she didn't believe him. She had no reason not to, except for the change in mood. Sakamoto and Takamaki shared a lengthy look as well.

"P-please senpai, I'm not a child. I… I have to know."

"…Why?"

Thinking about this response, Kasumi tried to frame her answer. Glancing at the other two, Kasumi began to lose her resolve. If she couldn't say this to her sister, how could she say it to strangers. Except… Looking back up, Kasumi met those peaceful black orbs. So patient, so easy to talk to.

"I need to know if these phantom thieves are real. How they operate. I… I was terrified Monday night after the confession. I thought… they may come for me next."

Focussing solely on the transfer student, Kasumi didn't notice the shifting and mutters from the others. There was only one person whose opinion she wanted now.

"…You have no reason to fear them."

"How? How are you so confident senpai?"

"They only target criminals," he tried to assure her. "There's no way they would go after someone like you."

"I… I guess that makes sense. I don't know why, but I believe you senpai. Umm… Did my sister say anything to you?"

Thrown off by the change in subject, the transfer student looked confused for the first time. Tilting his head, he was perhaps trying to recall the conversation. "Not really, just…"

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Kasumi got the feeling he was hiding something. "What did she say?"

"I-it was nothing, really."

"Senpai…"

"…Fine. She wanted to know what I thought of you."

Blushing deeply, Kasumi cast her eyes nervously around at the others that were hearing every word of this conversation. Heart hammering, Kasumi couldn't believe Sumire had the courage to ask something like that.

"A-and, what did you… What did you…" Shaking her head quickly, Kasumi gave up on the whole endeavour. "Thank you for your hospitality senpai!"

Leaping to her feet, Kasumi made a beeline back to the table where her family was sitting. The principal was just returning as well. Plates stacked high with only desserts this time. Kasumi shuddered to think of the daily percentage of sugar content he was consuming.

Sliding in beside Sumire, Kasumi avoided her sister's piercing gaze. There was no way she missed Kasumi sitting beside the transfer student.

"Ah, good timing Kasumi," her father greeted her, "although I notice you didn't get any more food."

"Oh, I couldn't find anything I wanted," Kasumi replied with a half-hearted smile.

"Any food that is…" Sumire added on quietly only for Kasumi's ears.

"Eep!" Flinching slightly, Kasumi wasn't sure who she was sitting beside anymore. When did her sister become this prying and teasing? That was Kasumi's role as the older sister!

"No matter," Kobayakawa began through mouthfuls of cake. "Let us begin the subject we came here to discuss."

With that, the mood around the table darkened quickly. Kasumi sent a hesitant look to her father but only received a half-hearted smile back.

"As I'm sure you girls know, you are enjoying a life at school that most students dream of." Stopping to take another bite, the principal eventually continued. "As such, the school expects certain… benefits back."

"We are already aware," Kasumi found herself speaking. Some confidence returned after talking to the transfer student. "We were called to the guidance office a few weeks ago in addition to our meeting with you before school started."

"Ah," the principal replied thoughtfully, the gleam of a ruthless intelligence sparkling in his eyes. Not necessarily smarts, or a vast sum of knowledge, merely the ability to get what he wanted. "You see before, we were merely outlining the conditions upon which you hold your honor student status. This is… a little different."

"Different how?" Shinichi interrupted, clearly not liking the way the conversation was going.

"You see," the principal nodded, as if expecting the question, "Kamoshida has endangered not only my position at the school, but the two of you as well."

"W-what!?" Kasumi shouted back, Sumire merely shuddering beside her. Her arm brushing up against Kasumi in solidarity.

"These criminals that blackmailed him have forced him to speak a series of nasty lies, interwoven with a few uncomfortable truths of which he, most unfortunately, will be convicted."

"That's not…" Sumire muttered under her breath

"What was that my dear?" Kobayakawa asked, missing Sumire's words.

"I-It's nothing principal!" She squeaked, clearly lying.

"No, please! All opinions are welcome. After all, we are eating lunch as equals today."

Kasumi wished she could help as the principal smiled at Sumire. That fake smile making the food in Kasumi's stomach begin to stir.

"I… I said it isn't unfortunate. Kamoshida is getting what he deserved."

The words silenced the entire table. Eyes bulging, Kasumi faced her sister in horror. There was no way the principal would let that go unpunished. This moment would come back to bite her.

"Perhaps you feel that way now," the principal answered, surprisingly unfazed, "however, I should tell you, that already students are beginning to remember the time you spent with Mr. Kamoshida. If it should get out that you knew of his crimes and aided in protecting him…"

"How dare you!" Shinichi sputtered, shooting to his feet. "I won't sit here and listen to you threaten my daughters!"

"I did nothing of the sort!" Kobayakawa insisted, raising his hands in a gesture of innocence. "I'm just saying… students can be… a little cruel." Picking up the cherry adorning the central dessert, Kobayakawa began to crush it, red liquid slowly seeping out like a rivulet of blood. "I want to protect them from this fate. To do that… It may be beneficial to have a media presence."

At once, Kasumi's face went straight to Shinichi who sat there awkwardly, half out of his seat. His face mottled with rage. Kasumi felt bad for her father. He was getting pressured into this because of them. No wonder the principal set this up. He needed an unofficial channel.

"What for?" He reluctantly asked.

"Hmm, why I just think Japan should focus less on the culprit here and more on the victim… and hero." The principal's eyes faced Kasumi straight on. Squirming under it, she found herself unable to look away. "The gymnast, who through all of Kamoshida's abuse, found the courage to tell the school what he was doing to her. Struck by the guilt of his actions, Kamoshida finally confessed, all because one girl had the courage to stand up to him…"

"A lie…"

"No… A story."

"It won't work," Shinichi dismissed with a wave of his hand. "The police will be on it in an instant. Apparently this Kamoshida fellow is being _extremely_ cooperative according to the media."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Kobayakawa answered, wiping his hands on the napkin, turning the pristine white surface red. "I've paid already, you have this table for another fifteen minutes, so enjoy it. Just remember, next week at school, your daughters could be a villain. It matters not to me."

Kasumi found her body shaking. A primal terror as helplessness filled her. So, there were indeed situations where one person, no, one _child,_ was helpless to do anything. Feeling like she understood her sister a little more, Kasumi bowed her head and stared, seeing nothing and hearing nothing as her parents talked in hush whispers.

* * *

_Thursday May 5_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Sumire found it hard to breath. The dress wasn't tight, nor was the buffet room sweltering. She just couldn't catch her breath, each one coming faster and faster. Kasumi beside her was looking only at the table. Sumire turned to her expectantly, waiting for her to shoot up, to solve the problem.

"K-Kasumi?" Speaking her name, Sumire was sure it would happen. Her sister always bounced back and fixed things. Always.

"Let's go, I need to make a phone call." Shinichi muttered finally, it seemed like he had come to a conclusion about something. "Are you two alright?"

"I… Yes father." Answering blankly, Sumire blinked in confusion. All of the bravado from earlier had vanished completely. Sumire barely understood where it had come from. One second she was stunned by the transfer student's less than positive opinion about Kasumi, next Sumire was practically begging Kasumi to go talk to him.

All of that had been rendered pointless though. Kasumi still wasn't responding. Reaching out, Sumire weakly shook her arm. "It's uh, it's time to go."

"…Yes."

The weak response was so un-Kasumi-like, Sumire wasn't sure she'd actually said it. Nonetheless, Kasumi stood up, looking like a zombie, she operated on autopilot, filing in behind her mother.

"…I'll be right there." Sumire called out from behind them. Leaving them to gather their effects, Sumire wandered, knowing where she wanted to go, but unsure if she had the conviction. "It's empty!?"

Taking a quick glance towards his table, Sumire groaned in disbelief. Just her luck. The one time she may have the courage or desperation to talk to him, he wasn't there. Leaning against the pillar next to the now vacant pillar, Sumire sighed.

"Why is the principal doing this…" It wasn't fair. Shouldn't he be protecting them? As students at his school? Yet, Sumire got the impression that he didn't see them that way. They were merely connections that would let the principal write a compelling tale about how amazing his school is.

"Damn it! All of these snotty, shitty adults!"

"Huh?" Freezing at the loud voice, Sumire thought the speaker was a teenager.

"Calm down Ryuji!" The female voice that answered back was one that Sumire had heard before. The girl that had called out Mr. Kamoshida during his confession. They must be the two with the transfer student.

"Isn't he right though?" the transfer student himself shot back. "They all walk around with their noses in the air."

"Sorry…" The girl sighed. "This woman walked into me and spilled her food. Then she blamed me for it. All of the waiters stared at me like I shouldn't be here…"

"Sounds like a bitch," the other boy replied.

Sumire realized that they must have just gone to the washroom or something. Standing there nervously, Sumire wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to talk to them, but something about their conversation, the way they were wording things intrigued her. Like these people were something they could deal with, or change.

"It's like there's something rotten with society," the transfer student sighed.

"We could do something about that," the first boy answered. "Come on, think about it!"

"Still… that girl's words. Are we… scary? I thought we were giving people hope."

"…" Trying to focus her hearing on the conversation, Sumire felt like there was odd pause. Like someone was talking she couldn't hear. Except was that… meowing?

"So, are in agreement Leader?"

"…I think we are. We have a chance to make a real difference here. To help people."

"To reform society."

"To get back at shitty adults."

"Meow!" This time, Sumire was positive she heard a cat. Blinking in confusion, she carefully turned around so that she could peer through the nearby fronds at the group.

"So each target must be unanimous, yes?"

"Of course!"

"A name, huh?" the transfer student muttered, a piece of paper in his hands. Thinking it over, a few tense seconds passed. "Better stay simple I think. How's this?"

_Say it aloud! Or at least tilt it this way!_

Gnashing her teeth in frustration, the import of the conversation was beginning to register. Sumire couldn't believe it, but at the same time, it made so much sense. The boy that grabbed her attention so wholly at the beginning of school, driving away that darkness she always found herself in. The group that had given her the confidence to begin trying things on her own. Even if she had failed a lot, Sumire had been trying. Of course they were the same.

Smiling wildly, Sumire whispered the name to herself as the sheet finally turned towards her. "Thank you, The Phantoms." Sliding away from the group, Sumire put all of her gymnastics training to use to flee without being seen.


	4. Moving Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you all for the continuing support. Hopefully this chapter lives up to expectations.
> 
> Next chapter may be a little slower in coming out as I focus on some of my other writing projects.
> 
> Enjoy.

Chapter 4: Moving Pieces

_Friday, May 6_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning_

Yusuke staggered to a halt stunned, the early morning crowds rushed around him, annoyed at his disruption. However, Yusuke could not care less. His feet began taking slow steps to where he saw it, to where he saw _her._

His breaths were coming fast, pupils dilated as euphoria threatened to overcome his body. "I have found her, my muse! The one who at long last will let me paint a masterpiece on par with the Sayuri!"

"Hey buddy, shut it!"

"Damn lunatics in Shibuya."

The criticisms fell on deaf ears, for nothing could stop the rapturous feeling swelling within his heart. "The perfect golden hair, the sun's rays reflect amidst the dreary black sea. See has called to me like a siren to a drowning sailor!

"Yes, I swear I shall find you my muse, my Sayuri… Next time, I will convince you!"

As the crowds parted around his rambling, Yusuke finally managed to get a grip. His breathing still coming in ragged pants from the swirl of strong emotions that had pierced him. Taking a few more seconds to right himself, Yusuke pointed himself toward the correct platform. Now wasn't the time to get in trouble with the school.

* * *

_Friday, May 6_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"You asked to see me, Principal?" Makoto asked politely, entering the man's office. Nervous about the strange request, it took all of her composure and confidence to stop herself from shifting nervously.

"Ah, yes! Our wonderful student council president!"

"…"

"…Uh hum, well, anyway, as I'm sure you know, our school is now the source of some crazy rumours!"

"Rumours? You mean the phantom thieves?" Makoto replied, able to quickly put together the principal's vague words.

"Exactly! It is imperative that we learn if they are connected to our school!"

"Sir?" Makoto replied confused. "That calling card… You don't believe it, do you? I mean… it's nonsense."

Despite her harsh words, the principal maintained his fake smile that had been getting a lot of practice these past few days. "Now, now," he intoned gently, "you must understand how it will look on you if these rumours turn out to be not as unsubstantiated as you believe. In fact, you could say that both of our jobs are in danger."

"Umm…"

"Now, I could write you a phenomenal reference letter to any university of your choice if you do this… If you fail, well… Imagine how poorly it would reflect on your older sister in the prosecutor's office."

"Urgh…" Wincing at the not-so-subtle threat, Makoto didn't know how to reply. While it was true that she could very easily lose her position as student council president if the student body felt she was doing a poor job, the threat against her sister felt hollow. But then again… Makoto didn't want to underestimate how well-connected the principal was.

"So?"

"I will… begin looking into any students that may be connected to these rumours." Giving in to the principal's demands, Makoto bowed lightly. "Excuse me." Without waiting for a dismissal, she turned and stalked from the room, emotions a mess from the threats and implications.

* * *

_Friday, May 6_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Kasumi waited impatiently by herself. She didn't want to agree to the demands that she'd ended up discussing with her father last night. However, it was for the best. Kasumi couldn't let Sumire do this. It was her responsibility as the older sister.

Now, standing outside the principal office, Kasumi glared at the shut door. She could barely make out a pair of voices, but not the words being discussed. Glancing at the clock nearby, Kasumi rolled her eyes at the time, only five minutes left until first bell. She'd have to make this fast, not that Kasumi planned on talking to the principal for a second longer than necessary.

Growing slightly curious, Kasumi silently approached the door. With her ear nearly pressed against it, the mumblings finally resolved into understandable sentences.

" _If you fail, well… Imagine how poorly it would reflect on your older sister in the prosecutor's office."_

"Prosecutor's office?" Confused by the strange topic, Kasumi felt awkward for eavesdropping on the conversation, nonetheless, she didn't move as the conversation reached its completion. Kasumi couldn't take much from it, only one thing stood out to her, another student was in there that the principal was manipulating, no, bullying, like a kid in a playground. The principal was the biggest and strongest one and exerted that influence over everyone else.

Quickly backing up, Kasumi felt extremely grateful for her training which enabled her to retreat to the wall without making a sound. Less than a second later, a girl emerged from the office. Blinking, Kasumi realized she knew her. Nijima Makoto, student council president. She was instantly recognizable with her brown hair and red eyes.

"Oh, did you need to see Principal Kobayakawa? Please excuse me."

Kasumi watched as the girl made the expected greeting and apology. Leaping forward without thinking, Kasumi grabbed onto the girl's arm.

"Eep! W-what are you doing!?"

Surprised by how fast the girl's professionalism faded, Kasumi tried to not let it distract herself from her mission. "Umm, I don't know what you talked about… But! You aren't alone." Releasing her arm, Kasumi wasn't sure what she expected. All she knew was that the principal was using her as well and wanted to help. Still, Kasumi doubted her words would do anything. They never seemed to work with Sumire after all.

"Uhh, okay?" Giving a noncommittal answer, the student council president slowly walked away, heading for class. Still, even as she left, Kasumi was happy to see that the girl took a couple glances back at her, each time her expression a little softer than it had been before.

"Okay then!" Trying to psyche herself up, Kasumi walked up to the closed wooden door and rapped loudly upon its surface.

"Who's there?"

Ignoring the question, Kasumi opened the door and slipped inside, shutting it behind her. Ignoring the principal's outraged expression, she bowed as shallowly as she could mange. "I came to report on your… 'request' from yesterday."

"…I see," the Kobayakawa responded, leaning back in his chair, his smile growing. "It is favourable, I imagine?"

"For you," Kasumi agreed, confirming his suspicions. "I have an appearance this Sunday on how I discovered Kamoshida's atrocities and convinced the student body to speak out against him. This culminated in him seeing the error in his way and admitting to his crimes…"

"You sound unconvinced," Kobayakawa questioned. "You have to make people believe that you actually accomplished this."

"I'll sell the story," Kasumi glared back, "but I can tell you now, I'm going to look _extremely_ foolish when the phantom thieves' next target confesses. When that happens, I will publicly apologize and tell everyone how you blackmailed me into giving this story."

"E-excuse me!?" Kobayakawa squeaked, taken aback by Kasumi's direct words.

Unable to contain her anger, Kasumi stalked even closer to his desk and pointed her finger at him. "I may be scared of them and their suspicious powers, but if anyone needs a change of heart, it's you!"

Panting from her exertion, Kasumi couldn't believe she had just yelled at her principal. However, every word was one she had needed to say. Kasumi loathed bullies. Seeing one take advantage of not only her, but her family, and even the student council president had been too much.

"Grr… How dare you!? I am the principal! I'll… I'll… I'll…"

"Wait for my appearance, I get it." Kasumi replied dead-panned. Words said, the searing heat in her chest had faded, leaving only a cold, containable anger. "Excuse me." Barely, shifting her head, Kasumi stalked for the door as the morning bell rang for the first time signifying five minutes before the commencement of lectures.

* * *

_Friday, May 6_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Ren listened, fascinated as Math class began in earnest. Ever since obtaining his powers, he had found it far easier to focus on the material being presented. A part of it was probably Morgana in his desk, ready to tease him if he slacked off; however, a larger part was a desire to _know._ To really understand the world around him as he was beginning to see it.

Forcefully ripped from his shell of repetition and safety, Ren was starting to see the underlying currents in everything. How politicians could use the law to protect themselves from justice, or how physics affected the trajectory of his bullets in the metaverse.

"Now, as you should recall from earlier years of math, the interior angles of a triangle sum to 180 degrees. Last year, you dealt exclusively with ones containing a right angle. On a flat plane, these are easy to solve the side-lengths of through use of Pythagoras' theorem.

"This year, we will begin moving onto use of trigonometric functions. These will enable you to solve both the side-lengths and angles for _any_ triangle. This can grow quite complicated, very quickly. To help simplify things, we will begin with a tool called the unit circle."

Taking a break form the lecture, the teacher drew a rough circle upon the black and split it into quarters with a vertical and horizontal line.

"Now then, we will start at the top-left quadrant, which is positive in both directions. Our first line starts at the origin and rises at an angle of 30 degrees above the x-axis." Pausing to draw exactly that, she then turned back to the class. "For our unit circle, the radius of the circle is one. To put it a little simpler, the hypotenuse of any triangle we make within it will be one." Turning back to the board, she connected the place where the line met the circle to the x-axis.

"According to Pythagoreus' theorem, we know that these two side lengths, a and b, the sum of their squares is equal to the square root of one, which is one.

"While you obviously don't have the tools to solve for those numbers quite yet, there is a line that you can solve, the forty-five degree line." Repeating her actions, the teacher drew a line that cut the upper-left segment in half and again connected it to the base. "So, does anyone want to tell me what the side lengths are for this triangle?"

Ripping his eyes from the board, Ren scribbled furiously on his paper, attempting to manipulate the variables in the equation given such that the correct number would pop out. Starting with Pythagoras' theorem, Ren knew that with a forty-five-degree angle, the height and base would be the same. Therefore, instead of a squared plus b squared equals one, it was a squared plus a squared equals one.

Epiphany striking Ren saw the solution. Adding them together, it became simple algebra, two a squared equals one, and thus, a squared equals one-half, and finally, a is equal to the square root of a half. Pleased with himself, Ren pumped in his fist in excitement, the small motion making no noise.

"Ah, I see someone has something. Would you care to share Amamiya-kun?"

Surprised at being called out, Ren looked awkwardly around the room at the students staring at him. "Is it… the square root of a half?"

"For the base or the height?"

"…Both?" Ren replied suddenly less sure after the teacher's question. His reply drawing snickers from his classmates.

"You are absolutely correct!" The teacher replied happily. "You saw through the trick that a forty-five degree angle means the side-lengths are the same, and therefore you only have one variable in Pythagoras' theorem. I'll have to keep my eye on you Amamiya-kun, you're turning into quite the math whiz."

"Wow!" Morgana whispered from Ren's desk. "I didn't know that one at all!"

Bowing his head from the praise coming from two directions, Ren had no reply for either of them.

"Is he really a delinquent?"

"Did Kamoshida make the whole thing up?"

"I don't know, I heard that the delinquent blackmailed Kamoshida into confessing."

Just like that, Ren's happiness at having solved the problem vanished as rumours whipped through the class, no effort taken to make them inaudible. Perhaps he'd been naïve, but Ren had assumed that Kamoshida's confession would improve his standing with the students in the school. Like it had with Ann. She could now interact with other students, people that had actually apologized to her. Ren, however, received just as many glances. He tried and failed to take solace in the fact that there was more uncertainty in their eyes when they did so.

The rest of the lecture passed by in the blink of an eye, the teacher filling out the rest of the unit circle, explaining its uses, and only at the end teasing the introduction of the first trigonometric function which would be properly introduced tomorrow. With that, the bell rang, signifying the end of classes for the morning and the start of lunch break.

"Finally…" Ann moaned in pain from in front of Ren, arms stretching high to the sky as the bell rang. Smirking at her back, Ren patted her on the shoulder in a show of support.

"Come on, math isn't that bad."

"Yes, it is!" Ann shot back, whirling around in her chair so that she could look at Ren. "Although I suppose a math quiz like yourself wouldn't understand."

"…A what?"

"The thing the teacher called you," Ann repeated, rolling her eyes. "A math quiz or something like that."

"…"

"Lady Ann," Morgana moaned in sympathy, unable to find any way to defend her from this self-inflicted injury.

"She called me a math _whiz._ With a W."

"O-oh," Ann muttered in surprise, looking away. "I-I guess that makes sense too. Anyway, I got to run, I told some girls that I'd eat lunch with them."

"That's good," Ren replied sincerely. "I'm glad you're finding friends."

"You're my friend too, you know," Ann replied with a gorgeous smile. "Although… A part of me feels like they just want me there so I can translate English message boards for them. Anyway, later!"

Waving one last time at her, Ren forced his eyes to not watch her as she walked away. Glancing down, Ren shook his head at Morgana who was doing just that. Ignoring the cat, Ren stood up and stretched as well, thinking about his plans for lunch. His bag was lacking anything, and he actually felt hungry today. Internally debating his decisions, Ren was torn. While the cafeteria sounded best, he'd then have to stand in line with a bunch of other students and pretend to not here their whispers.

_Or I could act like a delinquent for once and budge the line. No one would stop me._

Blinking, Ren was surprised at the thought. Taking a deep breath, Ren delved deep inside himself and found the problem instantly. At some point, he changed over to Incubus, the devil persona goading him on to take what he wanted. Moving over to Berith, the steadier Heirophant persona instantly repressed the urge. Ignoring whispers was fine. Preparing to grab the bag that Morgana had slunk into, Ren looked up as the tone in the room changed.

A red head was nervously poking in, glancing around at the students present. "Yoshizawa?" Muttering in confusion, Ren left the bag for now and walked over to greet her.

"O-oh, Senpai! What a surprise to see you here!"

_Surprise? This Is my classroom._

Keeping the words internal, Ren merely nodded in answer as the students around him clicked onto this new information instantly.

"Wait, he knows the new honour's student?"

"Seriously!? Maybe she's attracted to daredevils. …Actually, I'm kind of one myself."

"Shut up dude…"

"Oh my god, look at her walking around like she owns the school. I can't even with honour's students!"

"I tots get you."

"…" Sharing an awkward silent look with the girl, Ren didn't know what to do. It hurt to hear that the students seemed to regard her privileges with the same general animosity that they regarded him with.

"U-umm… Senpai, what a surprise! I was about to eat… If you, uhh… perhaps, maybe, uhh…"

"I was headed to the cafeteria to get lunch as well." Ren confirmed, saving her from her troubles.

"A-and I can join you?"

She replied, her voice so small that Ren almost missed it. "Of course, I would be honored if you would." Surprising himself by how steady he felt, Ren was glad the butterflies from yesterday didn't manifest yet again. Grabbing the door, he gestured for Sumire to go first.

"W-why thank you Senpai."

"You're very welcome." The overly formal words falling awkwardly from his mouth, Ren was shocked by how seriously he had spoken them.

"Uhh…"

Yoshizawa appeared to be similarly confused, unsure if she was missing a joke. Smiling awkwardly, Ren once again dove inside himself to find the explanation. Once again, it struck him like a load of bricks. The persona that he had equipped. Each person gets one persona, that persona represents their personality.

As the wild card, Ren was able to craft and utilize as many personalities as he saw fit. The one he equipped was a knight. A figure that went above and beyond to chivalrously defend and protect women. No wonder he talked as he did.

Reminding himself to keep a closer watch on that, Ren followed Yoshizawa down to the cafeteria, unsure what he was forgetting as a mournful yowl rang out behind him.

* * *

_Friday May 6_ _th_ _, 20XX Lunchtime_

"S-so, senpai, h-how is school going?" Stuttering nervously, Sumire kept taking nervous side-glances at the boy walking beside her. _Ren._ The sound of his name rolling around in her mind again. Sumire doubted she would ever be able to use it with him. That was a privilege reserved for close friends. Even if they were, there was something about calling him senpai that felt special anyway.

Doing her best to repress the giggle rising up, Sumire swiped the lock of red hair that was beside her head over her shoulder. Like clockwork though, within a few steps it had fallen forward and was once again restricting her view of Senpai.

_This is exactly why Kasumi ties her hair back!_

Raging internally, Sumire briefly wondered why she didn't do the same. However, the answer returned all too quickly. With her hair down, it was easier to ignore the people around her. The ones that whispered about how it was nice that Kasumi let her younger tag along to events. Or the sad whispers about Sumire simply not measuring up to her older sister's talent.

Having managed to depress herself again, Sumire's eyes fell to the floor as she walked silently along. _I bet he just came because he was being nice._ Once the thought infected her head, Sumire couldn't dismiss the possibility. It lined up too well with his overly formal attitude and expression when opening the door.

"Huh?" Finding herself stopped by a hand, on her shoulder, Sumire turned around. Glancing up, she found Senpai's concerned eyes looking at her. "I-is something wrong?"

"Well… Kind of? You just walked past the staircase."

"…" Confirming his words with her eyes, Sumire's cheeks heated from the embarrassment. She had been so lost in her thoughts she wasn't even able to walk to the cafeteria. Typical Sumire. "Umm, Senpai, if you don't want to eat with me… It's fine."

Not answering immediately, he slowly shook his head. "That's something you and your sister could deal with having a little more of, confidence. Now come one, let's hurry before everything is sold out. I'm personally yearning for Yakisoba pan."

Sumire didn't hear anything after the first part. Following numbly along behind him, she was sure she misunderstood. Yet every time she played it back in her head, they came out the same. That Sumire needed more confidence, she understood that. But he had implied that _Kasumi_ needed some as well. That simply wasn't possible. Kasumi was the most confident person Sumire knew. Senpai clearly didn't know her at all.

"One order of Yakisoba pan please! Oh, and add a strawberry delight as well."

"That's 300 yen total."

The exchange happening before Sumire's eyes brought her back enough to carry out her own transaction. Casting a disapproving eye over Senpai's meager meal, Sumire decided to order something extra for him as well.

"…A-are you sure honey?" The worker replied after Sumire conveyed her extensive list.

"Of course! Honestly I should add something else, but I can never be sure about nutritional quality or calories when I don't cook it myself." Attempting to not get offended by the person's disbelief, Sumire brought out a one-thousand-yen bill, and then a second. Receiving her scant few coins back, Sumire tucked them into her wallet.

"That's umm… quite the order," Senpai said weakly as the food arrived. "Puts the big bang burger challenge to shame…"

"Hmm? What was that senpai?" Sumire asked, having missed the final whispered words.

"N-nothing! I was just thinking about how I know a place we can sit."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Following him, Sumire was feeling a little better now that food was in front of her. A delicious meal always seemed to make her feel better. There was nothing better than eating a large meal to sate that grumbling stomach and then working out, and then eating again… "Well, no sense waiting. Let's dig in Senpai! Itadakimasu!"

"I-Itadakimasu…" He echoed a few seconds later.

Sitting down at the table outside, Sumire was glad that no one else was here. Seeing as two vending machines existed in this alcove, it was all too possible that other students could stand around and watch them eat.

_Eat._

Ignoring that possibility for now, Sumire stared hungrily at the food in front of her before unwrapping it and beginning to dig in. The school-sized portions disappeared down her gullet one after another.

"Good lord…"

"Hmm, is something the matter Senpai?"

"N-nothing."

"Okay!" Agreeing happily, Sumire continued to ravage the meal in front of her like a swarm of locusts over a field of grain. In the same rough timescale, both were completely devoured. "Ah… That was good. Too much sugar and fat though. I'll need to try and trim those out during my next meals this week…"

"N-next meals?" Senpai spoke disbelievingly. "You mean you eat that… like that… three times a day!?"

"Huh?" Sumire blinked in confusion, not understanding his point. "Well… yes, sometimes four if I have multiple training sessions. As an athlete, I need the energy in order to perform at maximum capacity!"

"…I see."

Nodding firmly, Sumire felt like she'd properly educated him on the requirements of an athlete's health. Staring at the bit she'd given him, Sumire was dismayed to see that he'd barely touched it.

"Senpai? Did you not like that one?"

"No, it's fine…"

"Then why didn't you eat it."

"Well… I'm full..."

"…"

Tilting her head, Sumire thought over the claim again. Full. From one Yakisoba pan and a drink.

"You shouldn't kid like that Senpai. If you had bought a proper amount of food, I wouldn't have had to get you something you don't like."

"N-no, seriously," he replied unevenly. "I don't need as much food as you."

Biting her lip, Sumire wasn't sure if he was telling the truth, but decided to drop it. Food was something she was passionate about and was _positive_ that she'd seen him eat far more during the buffet yesterday.

"Actually, I wanted to ask, why were you at that buffet yesterday with the principal?"

"Eh!?" Jumping in surprise, Sumire gapped at Senpai. "Y-you're a…" barely snapping her mouth closed before the words _mind reader_ could slip out.

_It must be a power gained from being a phantom thief!_

"You sure are amazing Senpai…"

"Uh, what?"

"W-well you know, for…" Tapping her head, Sumire was sure he would know what she meant. After a second of staring at his baffled face, Sumire's confidence in her deduction waned. "It was just a coincidence… wasn't it?"

"…I honestly have no idea what you are talking about right now."

"I-I'm so sorry!" Sumire squeaked. "I-I've made a mess of everything, from my invitation, and then missing the stairs, and then I bought you food you didn't want!" Standing up, Sumire bowed deeply, hiding her flaming cheeks that she had embarrassed herself so thoroughly.

Staying like that for a couple seconds, Sumire finally looked up as she heard an odd noise. Eyes shaking in disbelief, Sumire gaped at Senpai who appeared to be producing it. Light laughter, like silver bells seeped from his body in constant, yet soft waves.

_I made him laugh…_

Heart swooning, Sumire fully acknowledged she had gone far past a crush at this point. She wanted to hear it again, to see it again. The stoic Senpai in her life, beaten down day after day by rumours and responsibilities, laugh freely.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, his face returning to a mask of neutrality. "It's hard to get a read on you."

_You._

That ugly pronoun ruining what would be an otherwise happy moment. Opening her mouth to ask why he didn't call her by her name, Sumire remembered with horror, she had never told him her name.

"I'm so sorry!"

"What this time?"

"I've never properly introduced myself!" Leaping back to her feet a second time, Sumire began bowing even before her feet landed back on the concrete. "My name is Yoshizawa Sumire! Please take care of me Senpai."

"I-I'll do my bes… What was that move!?" Curiosity getting the better of him, he couldn't complete the polite response.

"Huh?" Rising from her bow, Sumire thought back to what she'd done. "Oh, Umm, it wasn't much. It's a simple backward jump that I transitioned into a bow…"

However, Sumire got the feeling that Senpai had seen something far different than her modified gymnastics for everyday use. She couldn't help but feel that the appraising eyes he cast over her saw as an opportunity or a skill that he could use.

"Say, Yoshiza…"

"Sumire!"

"…What?"

"P-please call me Sumire, senpai." She answered, blushing while doing so. Shifting back and forth, she felt far too awkward to sit back down. She knew her request had been inappropriate, but even so. She had to make it.

"S-Sumire…" He muttered out, to her extreme delight. "Oh, I never introduced myself." Peeling himself off the table so that they were both standing, he bowed formally in reply. "My name is Amamiya Ren, a second-year."

Face heating yet again, Sumire knew it wasn't from embarrassment this time. It sounded even better when he said it. "I-its nice to meet you… Senpai."

"…You may call me Ren, if you wish."

"O-oh no, Senpai, I couldn't possibly. My heart isn't ready for something like… 'DING'!"

Breaking through her speech, the lunch bell rang with a certain finality on their conversation. Disappointed, Sumire could only tremble as it echoed twice, and a final third time through the school.

"…Well, I guess, I'll see you later."

"Umm, yes Senpai! I'll see you; I mean, I hope I see you again! Good luck!" Leaving it there, Sumire dashed away, heart beating a mile a minute. Nothing ever went right for her. But today, those last few minutes, were a dream come true.

* * *

_Friday May 6_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Rargh!" Punching the bags, Kasumi found herself not wanting for energy. Sweat poured off her body in waves as she pounded through the routines with a mindless ferocity.

"That's break."

"No…" She panted in reply, "I can keep going!"

"Kasumi…" Hiraguchi muttered shaking her head at the girl. "Take five minutes and cool off. You're overworking yourself. A hurt athlete can't perform."

"…Fine." Growling, Kasumi stalked over to the water station and downed an endless stream in one big gulp. Even knowing that it was the wrong way to drink water couldn't get her to feel remorse. Kasumi's whole body felt restless and pulsated with endless energy that begged for release. An energy produced from a shimmering fury that only rose as Kasumi's thoughts continued to spiral.

She _knew_ she had every right to be angry. The principal was being an idiot and was levering his unfair advantage over her. However, that wasn't what was really bothering Kasumi anymore. Kasumi had been eating lunch alone again, standing in the glass walkway, staring at the scenery, mind lost in her thoughts when she saw them. Sumire and Senpai.

The initial happiness that she felt upon her sister finally building some confidence quickly faded for a strange new emotion to take its place. Kasumi had spent the rest of the day trying to figure it out, only to realize that she was jealous. That jealously had quickly changed into anger at herself for being jealous of her sister talking to a boy. Then she got even angrier at herself for getting angry at something so trivial when there were actual problems to deal with.

Rubbing at her face, Kasumi tried to make the thoughts go away. She didn't want to think about it. She had been looking forward to this workout for precisely that reason. It was a fantastic way to relieve stress while also working toward her goal. For some reason though, today, it wasn't working. Kasumi felt just as wound-up now as when the workout started over half an hour ago at this point. Going into the last third, she was worried about carrying this energy home.

"What are you leaning against the wall for? I thought you had energy!? Let's see some tuck jumps, work on that vertical!"

"Y-yes coach!" Caught off guard by Hiraguchi arriving back, Kasumi pushed herself out of her slouch against the wall and jogged onto the workout area. Going immediately into the exercise, Kasumi's breaths started coming faster as her exertion level rose. Landing lightly on the balls of her feet, Kasumi sprung up, lifting her knees at the same time, turning into a ball in mid air. Easily though, her legs extended, and she landed lightly with bent knees, ready to spring back up half a second later.

"Good form, keep it up!"

"Yes!"

Answering solidly, Kasumi could start to feel the burn. Her poor muscles begging for relief from the grueling exercise. Gritting her teeth against it, Kasumi kept the motion going, not letting herself slow down. Practiced breathing techniques enabling her to set an unerring pace.

"Amazing…"

"So that's the level of a professional athlete…"

Normally the whispered compliments from the other gymgoers would satisfy Kasumi. Today, however, she wanted to scream at them. To tell them that if they thought this was impressive, they had no idea the struggle required. Their vanity project of looking good was simple. To rise beyond that and achieve the pinnacle that the human body could produce was a herculean task with no apparent goal.

"You still look pretty wired, even after that," Hiraguchi sighed, shaking her head at Kasumi. "You hate tuck jumps. I never thought I'd see the day you blast through an entire minute without faltering."

"I-I never said I hated them!" Kasumi complained, wondering where she's gotten the idea.

"Ha! I've coached you for how long. I've seen those looks you make when you're trying to psyche yourself up for the last set at the end of a long session."

Blushing slightly, Kasumi was ashamed that she'd shown so much weakness over the years. Exercises were important. The ones you were worst at were the most important for they informed you where your weaknesses lay. Kasumi had been sure that she'd come to eliminate every exercise that she'd found difficult over the years.

"Go hit the treadmill, ten minutes changing speeds on the minute. I don't want you over ten kilometres an hour."

"Ten!" Kasumi shot back protesting the slow speed. "That's barely a jog!"

"Yes, and I don't want you pulling a muscle. Do that to loosen up your legs a bit, remember to throw in some proper walking intervals, after that, finish stretching and head home."

"…Fine." Unhappy with the treatment, Kasumi couldn't complain. Swallowing a little, she was suddenly glad that coach had restricted her speed. The pain was finally beginning to break through the anger. Kasumi could feel the muscle groups that she'd overworked in her blind rage.

Getting on the instrument, Kasumi prepared herself for a long ten minutes, full of nothing to do except think about the pain. Perhaps that was why she avoided running as much as possible, all she had to do was alternate between her thoughts and pain, sometimes both.

Today in particular, that was a combination Kasumi was trying to escape. Turning it up to ten, Kasumi forced her legs to move along with the black track. Legs beginning to pump, even this slow speed felt hard to hold in her present state.

"Just… thirty more seconds…" Groaning quietly to herself, Kasumi couldn't help but stare at the timer as it inexorably ticks up, long second after second. "Ten…" Counting down in her head, Kasumi pressed the five button a couple seconds before she should have, transitioning into a walk. The pace was slow, but it also felt surprisingly good on her legs. The movement opening up the blood vessels while using muscles different from those she used for most of her other exercises.

Now though, all that was left for Kasumi to do was think. Inevitably, her mind was drawn back to lunch. She still couldn't understand why seeing her sister with him had upset her so much. Chewing over it, Kasumi felt like she was getting a little closer as the ten minutes came to an end. What she had once thought would take forever passing in the blink of eye.

"It's all Sumire's fault…"

That was the conclusion she had come to. If Sumire hadn't kept incorrectly assuming that Kasumi liked him, then she wouldn't feel this way. Now, Kasumi felt pressured into liking him. That must be it!

Confident in her answer, Kasumi began stretching, more at peace than she was before. Sumire's influence would fade in time, and then Kasumi could be properly excited for her sister.

* * *

_Saturday May 7_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Watch out!"

"Bro, you're going to hit that shadow!"

"That's the point!" Joker laughed gaily, slamming the mona-car into the unsuspecting shadow. The controls had been surprising easy for him to pick up,

"Yahoo!" Mona shouted in agreement as the splattered form broke apart to resemble actual shadows. With Mona turning back into his cat-like form, the four of them were down and ready to fight, their first since Kamoshida.

"Let's take this slow!" Joker commanded, but his body was commanding a different method. The excitement coursing through his body demanded him to tear into the creatures. To let loose and discard the façade of an upright student that he maintained day in, day out.

"For real!?" Skull complained.

"Do we have to?" Panther added on.

"Come on Joker," Mona finished the complaints, "As the leader you can't take the fun out of things! This is our first fight as an official group after all!"

_I'm also in charge of keeping you all alive._

Supressing the thought, Joker waved them forward to slaughter the shadows as they wished. Lagging behind them, Joker wished he could dive in as well. Unfortunately, the added pressure of being leader kept him back and evaluating the fight.

Joker couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief at the three of them. Each one of them appeared to have forgotten the stakes and were simply doing whatever they wished. No one focused on finishing off weak enemies or downing them. It was a melee slugfest. Letting it go for now, Joker knew he'd have to shape them up into a respectable fighting force before the next real encounter.

Using his turn to cast an aoe heal over all of them, Joker waited for them to finish off the weak creatures. All things that they used to beat easily back in Kamoshida's palace.

"Whew! What a workout!"

"No kidding! I forgot how fun beating up defenseless things can be!"

"…" Shaking his head slowly at the three, Joker once again had to fight down the urge to join in. "So, did we learn anything?"

"Yupp!" Skull agreed, "that these mementos shadows are weeeak!"

"Couldn't have said it better!" Panther agreed with a nod of head, a large smile adorning both of their faces.

Turning to Mona, Joker wondered if he would get the same response. "That was… Sloppy. Sorry Joker."

Nodding once in acceptance, Joker was glad that at least one person understood. Enjoying themselves was important but staying disciplined while doing so was just as.

"What do you mean!?" Skull shot back, "we totally smashed them!"

Shaking his head, Joker sighed once, "it took two rounds of combat, a lot of our mental energy, and we got hit. This should have been a quick slaughter after knocking them all down."

"…" Silence followed Joker's criticisms, none of them willing to meet his gaze.

"Well, let's get going, Mona transform."

"Y-Yes Joker!"

Hopping back into the car, the mood was far more somber than it had been previously. All three of them were still struggling with their guilt after that abomination of a fight. Unsure if he should let it go, Joker had more important things to think apart.

Arriving at the end of the complicated maze, Joker got out and stared at an escalator leading down to another floor. "So, there's more to this place, huh?"

"Yeah," Mona confirmed, "way more. We haven't dealt with Nakanohara yet though. Let's focus on him for today."

"…Fine," Agreeing reluctantly, Joker cast one final look at the way down and hopped back in the vehicle. It was almost as if he could hear something calling him from down there. Answers to the questions he didn't know enough yet to even ask.

The drive to the distortion that contained Nakanohara's shadow was quick. A couple of quick turns and they were there. Joker couldn't help but pause in awe outside of it. An endless vortex of energy with overlapping red and black particles spiraling into the unknown.

"Amazing…" Panther whispered, echoing his thoughts.

"Meh," Skull chipped in. "Let's get going."

"Oh Skull, you're helpless," Mona berated him. "Lady Ann can see the beauty within this strange area because _she_ is refined."

"Bro… Didn't she call Joker a math quiz?"

"S-shut up! I just got a little confused…"

Smiling wryly, Joker chuckled along with their shenanigans. Giving them a couple more seconds to calm down, he stepped on the gas again, driving them into the distorted realm. Inside, the area was similar to the rest of the floor. Here though, the tracks ended in a small room, a perfect space for battling. Wondering if it would really come to that, Joker got out of the Mona car to confront the shadow.

"Are you Nakanohara?"

"Who's asking? Wait! You're those phantom thieves! Why are you coming after me? I'm innocent! If anyone, you should target Madarame!"

"Madarame?" Panther echoed from behind. "Who?"

"Dudes probably just making excuses," Skull dismissed the claim.

"Or, it's a tangible lead on our next target," Mona sniffs disdainfully. "We can't just ignore intel."

"Are you stalking a girl?" Joker asked the shadow, interrupting the lecture on information.

"So what? She's mine! I can do what I want with her!"

"She is not your property!" Panther raged, the similarities to Kamoshida striking a sore spot.

"She's all I have left! I won't let her take you!"

With that final sentence, the guise of a human melted away revealing the shadow underneath. Attracted by his distorted desire, the shadow is what gave the desire form and power.

"Now, let's do this," Joker smirked, ready for his first real fight in a long time. The shadow resolved into a… thing. It resembled a small child, an imp maybe. It was like no persona that Joker had seen before. Drawing his gun, he started the fight off with a _bang._ Smirking at his internal pun, Joker fired all eight shots into the thing, only landing a paltry six bullets. The damage dealt was far less than he'd hoped.

Doing a little jig, the shadow used its action to cast a spell on itself. Looking to Mona, Joker waited to hear what it had done.

"It's attack is up! We better watch out."

"Got it," Joker agreed taking the information in stride. "Panther, undo that buff. Mona, Skull, find me a weakness."

"You got it leader!" Agreeing as one, their moves landed one after another. Crying out in pain, the shadow dropped to the floor as Ryuji's lightning struck it, finding the hole in its defenses.

"Now, All out attack!"

Leading the charge, Joker let himself succumb to the thrill as he dashed in and out of his party mates, each blow taking more and more life force from the unwilling shadow. Reluctantly, Joker pulled them out of the charge as the creature heaved itself to its feet with an unsettling groan. Their move had taken out a large portion of the thing's health. Next turn would be its last.

"Come, Jack frost!" Calling out his persona's name, Joker lowered the thing's defense. Smirking, he was sure this fight was over. With its resistance lowered, it had no way of surviving another barrage.

"I'm not finished yet!"

Roaring back at them, the shadow pulled out its final move. Moving slowly, none of them could guard as the attack washed over them. Sensing it just in time, Joker adeptly moved out of the way.

_That's a lot like what Sumire did today…_

Getting slightly distracted by the impeding thought, Joker pushed it to the side for now. Whatever it had been, that attack was dangerous and targeted everyone.

"Lady Ann!" Mona's called signified Joker to her distressed condition. The physical move had hit a weak spot, resulting in a critical.

Tsking, Joker looked back up at the shadow, waiting for the second round. Paused anxiously, Joker was sure it would repeat the move, another critical could prove disastrous to them. But… "It buffed itself?" Tilting his head in confusion, Joker felt somewhat bad for the stupid shadow. All the attack power in the world wouldn't save it anymore.

"Skull, hit it!"

"You got it Leader! Captain Kidd!"

With a crash of lightning, the shadow was on the ground. Smirking at it, Joker quickly brought its life to an end with one final rush of blows.

Disappearing, the shadow of Nakanohara took its place. On his knees, the government worker looked pathetic as he coughed weakly.

"Why are you stalking her?" Joker asked the man.

"I… I couldn't lose her. She's all I have now…"

"What do you mean, now?"

"…I used to be an artist, determined to be the best… I was almost there. But then my sensei… Madarame, he took it all from me when I tried to forge my own path!"

"Still blaming others, huh?" Mona shook his head sadly at the man.

"…You're right, I'm sorry," he admitted after a brief pause. "I want follow her anymore, but please, change Madarame's heart, before more people end up like me…"

With that last ominous warning, the shadow disappeared in a flash of light, leaving behind a floating, glowing orb. Curious, Joker snaked his hand out and grabbed it. As he did, the light faded, and it resolved itself into a proper item. Taking the accessory, Joker slid it into his seemingly endless pockets. Whatever was happening in there, he didn't question it. As long as it could hold everything he needed and produced easily everything he wanted, he was fine.

"Damn! That was a nice fight!" Skull exclaimed, stretching his dominant arm.

"For you!" Panther complained, "Why do I always feel so much weaker than you?"

"Because he is a brute, Lady Ann," Mona confirmed for her. "He hits things with his head, while you use grace to…"

"Burn them to cinders?" Joker chided, sure that Mona had figured out to late the trouble he had gotten himself into.

"Grr… We need another girl in this group so that I'll have someone intelligent to talk to!"

"Whatever you say math quiz!"

"One more word, Ryuji!" Panther snapped, dropping codenames in her anger.

Leaving them to their quarrel, Mona sauntered back over to Joker. "Well, that's the gist of it. Small fries like this guy can be dealt with in Mementos. Far easier than having to clear a palace."

"Indeed," Joker agreed with a nod. "Still dangerous though. "We can't underestimate them, or this place."

"Yeah," Mona sighs. "As much as I hate to admit it, we got kind of lucky this fight."

_Lucky._

Again, that word rang through Joker's head. He knew that it should mean something to him. Something that had sent waves of uneasiness through him… Only yesterday, he thought.

"Sumire…"

"Huh?"

"N-nothing," Joker placated him. "Let's calm those two down and get out of here." Walking along back to the entrance, Joker felt anything but calm.

_Good Luck._

The last two words that Sumire had spoken to him at lunch yesterday. Did they just happen to be a strange turn of phrase, or was there something else there? Could she possibly know?

Joker didn't how that was possible. No one could possibly have connected them to the calling card. _Except Mishima._ Plus, she was also at that lunch yesterday. Concerned with how fast word was getting around, Joker resolved to keep a close eye on the girl just in case. There was nothing else he could do at this point.

Keeping a close eye on her might force him to get to know her better. Oh well, it was for the phantom thieves. Definitely for no other reason. Wondering if her sister also knew, Joker figured it would be better to be safe than sorry and keep an eye on her as well.

* * *

_Sunday May 8_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Well, this is the studio… We've decided to go with a natural look, so you don't need to go to the stylist…"

Nodding along awkwardly, Kasumi didn't have anything else to say. The butterflies in her stomach were swirling up a storm in there. For the first time she remembered, Kasumi had found herself unable to eat breakfast. Even now, as noon approached, she found herself more likely to puke than to eat something.

"Anyway…" Her father continued. "Just stay here for now, when it is your turn, they'll signal you."

"…I know." Having heard the information a dozen times, Kasumi tried a smile to put her father at ease. It was hard to do when she was a bundle of emotions.

"…I'll be going then. Good luck."

"…Thanks."

Awkward conversation finished; Kasumi stood off to the side of the break room by herself. Everyone moved with such purpose it was hard not to feel out of place. Even worse, she'd been forced to wear her school uniform, as if that would prove she was a student at Shujin.

Now that the time had come, Kasumi felt far less confident than she had been earlier. Standing in front of principal Kobayakawa yelling about how she'd do his part and that it wouldn't matter. That was still something Kasumi hadn't had time to think about. The fall out from all of this. Kasumi didn't see how it was possible that the truth wouldn't end up coming out. That she played no role in Kamoshida's confession.

"Yoshizawa-san?"

"Y-yes!?"

"You're on in a minute."

"…One minute," Kasumi whispered to no one as the tech left. Taking a few deep breaths, Kasumi tried to tell herself this was simply a competition. She had a routine to perform. Attack it with boldness and it would go off without a hitch. "Okay!"

"It's time."

Striding forward, Kasumi gave the man a curt nod as she passed him and emerged into the studio proper. Benches set up, she walked over to where the dual host and hostess had just finished introducing her.

"And here she is! The star of today, Yoshizawa Kasumi! How are you doing."

"Quite well, thank you." _Not well at all._

"That's great to hear! Please, take a seat!"

_Why does everything he says have to be said with such a happy smile!?_

Whining to herself, Kasumi adopted a similar smile. The gymnastics practiced expression falling into place without a hitch.

"Ah, we certainly are lucky to have such a gorgeous girl with us today! One with quite the inspiring tale I hear!"

Taking her prompt from the telecaster, Kasumi began speaking. In order to leave a bit of originality and means for adaptation, Kasumi hadn't been presented with scripted lines. "Thank you for saying that, but I only did what anyone would have."

"Ah, you say that, but we hear that these atrocities have been going on for years! Just to summarize, the ex-teacher Kamoshida Suguru is an olympic gold medalist who was abusing students at Shujin academy. Our guest here is the one that outed his wrongdoings, leading to him confessing his mistakes."

"It is true that Kamoshida has most likely been committing wrongdoings under the guise of coaching for years," Kasumi picked up the question. "However, I would say that his crimes didn't escalate until this year."

"Is that true? That is very interesting!" The man replied, happy as ever even when discussing the misfortune of others. "Now, the part we are dying to hear is, how did you do it? How did you convince this man to confess?"

Blushing slightly, Kasumi hoped it was the appropriate response to the praise, and not because she guilty at lying about this all. "I really only got everything started. Kamoshida hid his atrocities by telling the students that no one would believe them. He made each one of them feel separated, with no one to turn to.

"Therefore, all I had to do was speak up first. Tell people that Kamoshida was abusing people and that we couldn't let this continue. After that, well… you know the saying, one rock can start an avalanche."

"Ah, so you only say you were the catalyst for this all!" The man murmurs, somehow managing to look pleased and disappointed at the same time that Kasumi wouldn't be regaling him with an epic tale of how she had personally confronted Kamoshida and forced him to accept justice.

"But then, we've heard crazy rumours coming from this case…" The co-host broke in, speaking for the first time. "Rumours about a calling card with people that claimed beforehand that they would make Kamoshida confess. Is this true?"

Expecting the question, Kasumi nodded her head, premeditated answer rising to her mouth. "The calling card was indeed posted around the school." Pausing there, Kasumi watched with some mirth at the ripples of unease and excitement washed through the live studio audience. "However… I do not believe that Kamoshida was targeted by any group, or individual. I simply believe that being forced to come face-to-face with his crimes forced him to reflect on what he had degenerated into these past few years. After all…" Hating herself, Kasumi forced the words out. "To win on the highest stage, you have to know about teamwork, and cooperation. He had simply forgotten that."

"Now, isn't that touching! Let's give our star a hand!"

Undeserved praise washing over her, Kasumi waited eagerly for the segment to come to an end. She hadn't been given a long segment due to the last-minute rush, but it should neatly fulfill the principal's wishes.

Finally, the show came to an end, and Kasumi was allowed to drop the fake smile. As soon as she got into the break room, Kasumi collapsed into the nearest chair. Hands over her face, she recalled with horror the things she had said on live television. Every sentence delivered with a perfect smile and sincere eyes.

Dashing out of the chair, Kasumi found the nearest garbage can just in time. Body lurching, only bile burned her throat as her empty stomach had nothing for her to disgorge. Putting the can down, Kasumi wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and stood up, she needed to find a sink.

"Here, it seems you need this more than I do."

"Huh?" Turning, Kasumi blinked in surprise at a well-dressed man offering her a glass of water. No, revising her opinion, Kasumi realized he was still a teenager. It was only the extremely professional looking suit that made him look older. He wore a kind smile underneath soft, dark red eyes and straight brown hair. It was messy in an adorable way, kind of like senpai's adorable mop.

"T-thank you…" Hesitantly taking it, Kasumi searched for the nearest sink that she could spit the bile water into.

"It's around the corner," the man informed her with a slight smirk.

"Again, thank you…" Bowing slightly, Kasumi was surprised to find him trailing after her as she headed to the sink. Surely, he had better things to do than watch a girl spit out water.

"That was quite the performance you gave out there," he spoke, uncaring about Kasumi's distress. "I must wonder though, was any of it true?"

"Gragh!" Coughing in surprise, water came out of Kasumi's nose as well as her mouth. Coughing heavily from the sensation, Kasumi struggled to recover and answer his claim. "I-I don't know what you mean."

"Hmm… Would it make things clearer if I told you my name is Akechi Goro?"

"The detective prince," Kasumi mumbled in surprise. His name had kept rising in popularity these past few years. Some had started claiming he was better than the previous detective prince who had solved that serial murder case out in the boonies.

"Yes… I must say your final argument there was quite compelling. That there was no reason to do anything to Kamoshida since forcing him to confront his deeds reminded him of the fact that he relied on these people and should therefore treat them with kindness… How… Unique."

Blinking, Kasumi had to admit that his reputation wasn't wrong. The way he spoke was intriguing. As if he was already multiple steps ahead of you. Yet, Kasumi couldn't help but balk at the subtle insult thrown in on the end. "Well, what do you think happened?"

"Me?" Akechi asked, as if surprised Kasumi would talk back to him. "I believe that somehow, a group of people altered his cognition, resulting in a change in personality."

It took all of Kasumi's acting ability to not gape at the detective. His words resonated strongly with the text she'd found on cognitive psience. Deeply disturbed by this short interaction, Kasumi bowed stiffly. "Thank you for entertaining me detective and thank you for the water."

"Wait? Did you think my answer was serious?"

"Huh? W-well…" Stuttering, Kasumi once again found herself on the backfoot. She had no idea how to get rid of this boy. A detective discovering her lie at this stage would be bad. She needed more time to figure out how to pin the responsibility of Kobayakawa.

"Hmm… Yoshizawa Kasumi… I'll remember you. If you ever feel like being more helpful, I think we could mutually benefit each other."

"W-what!?" Once again she felt utterly lost. Looking down at her hand, she didn't even know when the detective had stuck his business card in it before casually sauntering off.

Turning to the nearest garbage can, Kasumi moved to throw the card away. There was no way she would ever want to have a conversation with such an unnerving boy again. That sly smile and eyes that seemed to suggest he kneww everything already and is just testing you. Yet, as she reached the can, Kasumi found her hand still.

"He could help me… Maybe." Wavering Kasumi wished there was someone around who could tell her what to do. What the right path forward was from a road with two-dead ends. Both paths leading to eventual failure.

"Maybe… Maybe Senpai could…" Shaking her head, Kasumi quickly dismissed the thought. Pocketing the card, she strode to the producing room where her father would be. There was nothing a normal high schooler could do to help her with this crisis.

* * *

_Tuesday May 10_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Humming softly to herself, Sumire poured over her notes. Despite midterms starting tomorrow, she felt surprisingly anxious-free. Eyes drifting as the lines blurred together, a huge smile slowly formed on her face. Absorbing none of the information, Sumire's mind was fixed firmly on one individual.

After lunch together on Friday, Sumire ran into him randomly on Monday between classes, then on the train home for a brief while today. Despite each interaction being only a couple of minutes long, Sumire remembered each one fondly.

No matter what she did, Sumire just couldn't get any last-minute studying done, it just felt so… unimportant. For in the back of her mind, dampening her new-found good mood, was an eternal worry for her sister. Sumire had shivered in fear when she saw the interview. The bold-faced lies that Kasumi had delivered easily. If she didn't know better, Sumire would even believe it.

' _Knock, knock.'_ "Hey Sumire, are you there."

"Y-you bet, come in!" Wondering if she was starting to develop the same magical powers as Senpai, the object of her thoughts called out. Turning to the door, Sumire watched as Kasumi slowly let herself into the room.

"Ah, you were studying. I mean, of course you were, I'll talk to you after mid-terms."

"W-woah! Stop right there!" Sumire commanded her, unsure about the sudden change. "I'm feeling good about the exams. What concerns me is you."

"Hehe, you're starting to sound like the older sister." Kasumi chuckled, but she didn't leave. Closing the door behind her, she made her way to the bed and awkwardly sat on the corner.

Turning around on her chair, Sumire rested her arms on the backrest then leaned her chin on those so she could stare at Kasumi. "Y-you've helped me so much, I… I want to do something for you."

"…I always thought I was helping you as well…" Kasumi muttered in answer. "But was I really? You suffered, and I thought I could help by performing better. I'm a horrible older sister."

"W-woah!" Kasumi panicked, not understanding where the words were coming from. "T-that was my problem. My insecurities. I had to fix them, not you."

"…"

Although Kasumi didn't reply to her, Sumire thought she looked a little happier. Taking the brief pause to think, Sumire was surprised at her ability to speak so well. She'd managed to speak her mind to Kasumi. That was a first.

"S-so, what's up?"

"…I wanted to ask you… What you thought about the interview I did."

"Well…" Thinking over the question, Sumire took a moment to look down and compose her words. She didn't want to say the wrong thing here. "I saw… My sister. You looked invincible sitting there. The perfect student, no, the perfect _person._ One that stands up to injustice and corrects it. It was inspiring."

Kasumi winced in pain, as if Sumire's words had been an insult rather than the highest praise.

"But… I think I also saw your pain. You deserve to be in front of the world for the things you've done. And instead… you're being lauded for the one you didn't."

"Ha… Thanks. At least… One person saw the truth of that charade." Looking somewhat relieved, Kasumi actually smiled at Sumire.

Taken aback at the sad expression, Senpai's words from last week flowed though her mind. _That's something you and your sister could do this some more of, confidence._ Now, for the first time, Sumire saw the indecision in her sister. How she always covered up her weakness with boldness.

"Hey… Sumire… If something were to happen to me… Would you still finish our dream? For both of us?"

"S-something!?" Sumire squeaked, unprepared for the question. "W-what do you mean, nothing is going to happen to you!" Shooting out of her chair, Sumire stared at Kasumi in a terrified mess. The idea of Kasumi not being around frightened her in a way that she'd never experienced before. Even when she'd been distancing herself from Kasumi, it was with the assurance that she would be there when she got back.

"…That was a random question, wasn't it?" Kasumi sighed, shaking her head sadly. "Sorry, I just feel… powerless. There seem to be so many things swirling around me. Forces I have no ability to overcome."

"Do… Do you mean the phantom thieves?" Sumire asked back, confused at her sister's rambling. "B-because they're good! They help people. That's it! We'll get the phantom thieves to help us!"

"N-no! Wait, what are you doing!" Jumping off the bed, Kasumi stared dazed at her sister.

"Don't worry!" Sumire assured her, trying to boot up her non-functional phone. "I found out yesterday that the phantom thieves now have an official website! You can put the names of people who deserve a change of heart."

"That's horrible!" Kasumi gasped back. "That can't punish people without even knowing if they're guilty or not!"

"Don't worry," Sumire soothed her panicking sister, still struggling with her phone, "they're good people. They can tell which requests are legit and which to ignore."

"Oh yeah, and how do you know?" Kasumi shot back, a little more interested than before.

"There was this one request for a stalker named Nakanohara, right?" Sumire gushed, excited she could finally talk to someone about all of this, "and like, the day later, the guy himself posted a reply to his girlfriend about how sorry he was and that he wouldn't do it any longer!"

"…That sounds suspicious. Could have been a fan account that wanted to spread their popularity."

"Nope!" Sumire smiled, ready for her sister's predictable reply, "not only did the original commenter reply thanking them for helping, but the guy posted the same apology on his office website and telling people that they should support the phantom thieves."

"T-that's…" Unable to get the rest of her statement out, Kasumi looked thoroughly disturbed. Eventually she simply smiled and shook her head at the absurdity of it all. "Well, if someone was to change our pig-headed principal… I certainly wouldn't complain."

"Hehe…" Giggling Sumire shot up out of the chair and grabbed Kasumi's hand.

"Eek! Where are you taking me!?"

"Come on, let's grab that tablet and we'll do just that!" Ecstatic about being able to help her sister, Sumire had full faith in her Senpai. He hadn't let her down yet, and this certainly wouldn't be the first time.

* * *

_Friday May 13_ _th_ _, 20XX Lunchtime_

"Seriously?" Ryuji complained. "What's with that guy? He reminded me more of a clown than a councilor. And in the middle of mid-terms, I mean, what the hell?"

"I get what you mean," Ann sighed. "These exams are killing me."

"Speak for yourselves," Ren taunted. However, if he was being honest, the exams were more challenging than he had expected. While he was sure he'd finish in the top-half, it certainly wasn't the performance he had expected from himself. Ren was determined to put more time into studying before finals rolled around.

"Come on, dude! You don't have to call us out like that," Ryuji sighed. "But honestly, are either of you two going to get this 'counseling'. Go talk about your feelings or whatever the shit they mean."

"Ryuji!" Ann groaned in warning, but it was too late. Dr. Maruki had already strolled up. Ren grimaced, but the doctor looked unaffected, despite obviously hearing everything.

"Excuse me, but you're the transfer student, right? Amamiya Ren?"

"…Yes."

"May I talk to you for a minute? It will be quick, I promise."

Nodding reluctantly, Ren waved the other two away and followed Maruki a short way into the courtyard. As the students shuffled back to their classrooms for afternoon exams, Ren waited patiently for the councillor to begin speaking.

"I wanted to apologize to you, I've been made aware of your record."

Nodding again, Ren stayed silent, he had nothing to say. It didn't surprise him that the councillor the school had hired would be told the truth about his past.

"Anyway, I'm also sorry to inform you, that the school has decided that you are one of the people who must come to me for counselling."

"…I see. Do I know the others?"

"…Most," Maruki nods, answering somewhat reluctantly. "Your friends, Sakamoto and Takamaki, they are on it. As well as some others that suffered as a direct result of Kamoshida's actions."

"So, the entirety of both volleyball teams?" Ren quipped back, finding it surprisingly easy to talk to the doctor.

"Haha!" Maruki laughed, "I hope they all come to see me! But for most of them, Kamoshida's abuse was light. There were only a couple students that really seemed to draw his ire."

"That's understandable…" Ren agreed. Trailing off though, he still felt hesitant about this. He barely thought about Kamoshida anymore, or the lives he tried to wreck along the way. Ren's mind was totally in the present and looking to the future.

"It looks like I wasn't able to convince you about the counselling, huh?"

"Sorry," Ren admitted, "I'll probably only come the amount I need to…"

"Hmm… It's not that I don't under… I got it!" Bursting out randomly, Maruki bounced slightly like a little kid with a present. "I'll give you some mental training!"

"Okay…" Ren blinked in confusion. "Thanks, but uhh, what do you get out of this?"

"The satisfaction of helping someone take their life back is all I need…"

Narrowing his eyes at the doctor, Ren had a suspicion that he wanted to say something else. "Are you sure?"

"…To be honest, I'm currently conducting research but…" Sighing heavily, the doctor shook his head, an expression of sorrow on his face. "I'm struggling with it. Perhaps, if there is time during our sessions, we can talk it over. I doubt you'll be able to help though."

"…I'll do my best," Ren promises extending his hand. He was unsure if he could really be of help to the doctor, but it was certainly to be more exciting than talking about his emotions.

"Haha, well I look forward to seeing you later!"

As they shook hands, Ren felt that same sensation again. One that signified the formation of a 'bond' as Igor had called them. While the concept intrigued Ren, as far as he knew, the only thing he got out of it was more powerful personas during fusion. Hoping the other benefits would come clear in time, he bid farewell to Maruki. Rushing over to class, Ren hoped the afternoon exams wouldn't be too challenging.

* * *

_Saturday May 14_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning_

There she is, I can't let her go again. Today is the day!

Walking forward with quick strides, Yusuke used his tall frame to track her through the crowds. His piercing gaze locked upon the bobbing golden flower with such intensity he was surprised she couldn't sense him. Sense the passion and _need_ he felt to paint her.

That perfect face.

Those beautiful, long legs.

Every inch of her would become immortalized upon his canvas. A masterpiece that everyone the world over would view!

Passion gripping him, Yusuke walked even faster, no attention given to the citizens he bumped into on his way forward.

"Just on that escalator!"

Crying out in victory, Yusuke's heart beat wildly at the prospect of their first meeting. His muse, his inspiration, his own Sayuri. Oh, every fiber of his being vibrated in euphoric shudders at the fast-coming encounter.

Out in the sun now, he was positive she could not lose him here. The beacon of her hair guiding him to her wherever she may hide. Looking quickly and not spotting her, Yusuke realized she had put her hood up. Frowning at the strange action, he hurried forward at the unforeseen problem.

_There!_

Making a move to grab her shoulder, Yusuke couldn't risk her disappearing again. Sensei was being extra strict nowadays. If Yusuke wasn't able to produce a masterpiece… He didn't want to think about the problems that would cause.

"Huh?" Muttering in confusion, two men intercepted his path as the girl turned around. Their words were meaningless to him as he soaked in her face. Her intense blue eyes as she accused him of something. Strangely though… It was muted. She seemed far more… ordinary than he had first believed.

"I want you to be my model!" Speaking his wish anyway, Yusuke had to go through with this. She was what he had been searching for. She had to be.


	5. Chapter 5: The Intentionally Obtuse Artist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again,
> 
> Please enjoy this latest chapter. Some parts are a little rough I think, but it gets the job done hopefully.
> 
> I'm glad so many of you seem to be enjoying this story,
> 
> -asdf
> 
> PS. Yes, I realize that my events on the 17th somewhat break the timeslots the game provides, however, I think this makes more sense with the story.

Chapter 5: The Intentionally Obtuse Artist

_Sunday May 15_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Are we seriously doing this?" Ryuji sighed. "I mean… Appreciating the fine arts?"

Ren sighed and shook in his head in response. It wasn't that he didn't understand where Ryuji was coming from. Some of the paintings were… well, in a word, not easy to appreciate. "We need to see if there's any legitimacy to the claim. Come on, think of it as an investigation."

"…Fine."

"Come on, Ryuji," Morgana needled, poking his head out of Ren's bag, "Any phantom thief worth his salt needs to be able to recognize an original."

"Eff that…"

Despite his words though, Ryuji obediently followed Ren deeper into the exhibit. Immediately, in the large central area, Ren located their target. The elderly man that called out to Yusuke from the car. Approaching, Ren noticed that he was currently doing an interview.

Standing a couple steps away from the camera crew and host, Ren hoped they looked like fans and not stalkers. Ears focused on the words being said, Ren drowned out the rest of the noise coming from attendees murmuring about the various pieces on display in the area.

"A shack?" The host asked stunned. "I never thought I'd hear that word from your mouth! You sir truly are the epitome of what it means to be an artist!"

"Why thank you," Madarame replied with an easy smile.

Initially, Ren wanted to agree with the host. In order for one person to create all of these works, they would have to dedicate their entire life to it. Little to no time for anything else, even pleasant distractions. Yet, something seemed off about it to Ren. The host's comment about art style for one, the second was how Madarame _kept_ mentioning his living conditions, even after the host had turned the interview away from it.

"Shack?" Ryuji muttered from beside him, "you know that word sounds familiar…"

Turning to face Ryuji, Ren was about to ask for an explanation when the place erupted.

"Is that Madarame!?"

"He's here!?"

Suddenly the dense attendees that had somehow missed the interview happening in the middle of them all crushed in on their position. Waves of eager art fans clamoring for a glimpse of the genius that had painted all of these masterpieces with their own two eyes.

Panting, Ren emerged from the swarm a few minutes later. Glancing over his shoulder, he confirmed that both Morgana and Ryuji had also survived the swarm of fans. It had truly been a peril on the level on Kamoshida.

"I thought I was going to die…" Morgana wheezed weakly, poking his head out the bag for fresh air.

"Seriously!" Ryuji agreed, panting from the exertion as well. "But anyway, get this, you know how I check the Phansite like… everyday?"

"I do now," Ren nodded wondering where this was going.

"So, get this. I'm _pretty sure_ there was a post on there about an artist and a shack!"

"Uhh…" Unsure how to reply, Ren decided to trust Ryuji for now. There seemed to be too many coincidences lining up on Madarame not being as innocent as he appeared. The name coming up in too many places.

"Let's head back to the overpass for now," Ryuji suggested, "We can talk easier there and wait for Ann to get…"

With Ryuji staring ahead distracted, Ren followed his gaze. Trying not to gape was hard. Once again, at a seemingly random location, there they were. Sumire and her sister, trailed by two people who must be their parents.

Staring for a short second, Ren met the brown-haired one's gaze. While Ren was confident her name was Kasumi, he'd never actually been properly introduced. She nudged Sumire, pointing Ren out.

"S-Senpai!?" The loud squeak drawing disapproving glares from nearby patrons. All in spite of the loud commotion just behind them as people shouted for Madarame's attention.

"Oh ho, so this is the boy is it. The one that managed to draw my daughters' attention?"

"D-dad!" They both complained awkwardly, blushing simultaneously.

"D-dude…" Ryuji whispered beside him. "Y-you can't be serious…"

"Just… Give me a minute," Ren sighed, not wanting to explain everything to him at that minute. Walking forward, Ren bowed slightly to their father. "My name is Amamiya Ren, Sir. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"No need for such formalities!" The man laughed back, sticking out a hand to shake. "Please, call me Shinichi. As I'm sure you know already, these are my daughters Kasumi and Sumire."

"W-well," Ren stuttered actually shaking the hand.

"Eep!" Kasumi squeaked, blushing a scarlet colour on par with Sumire's hair.

"Hmm?" Shinichi puzzled, "I thought that you were all acquainted. Is something wrong Kasumi?"

Not answering her father, the girl tried to compose herself. As he watched, her skin got back to a more normal shade of colour before she bowed deeply. "I'm so sorry senpai! My name is Yoshizawa Kasumi! Please look after me."

"Kasumi…" Their father chided, "you never introduced yourself? Even Sumire did."

"Hey!" Sumire protested. "I-I can do stuff like that… A-anyway, why don't you go enjoy some art!?"

"A-alright," Shinichi agreed, put off by the strong push away. "You were the one that insisted we all go to this though…"

Absorbing this information, Ren looked at Sumire curiously. The girl looked far more embarrassed than she should be for getting called out on being an art fan. Unless… Suspicions rising in his mind, Ren wondered if them coming to _this_ exact art show truly was a coincidence. "Hey Sumire…"

"…May I ask you a question Senpai!?"

Talking over each other, Ren smiled and waved the girl on, as her sister pulled the rest of the family away, taking glances back at them all the while.

"Umm… I-I just didn't exactly take you as an art fanatic… and it's umm… a little hard to get tickets to this exhibition… Especially opening day… So…"

Smiling internally, Ren couldn't believe it. "You're a huge fan of the Phantom thieves, aren't you?"

"E-eh!?" The girl squeaked, blushing deeply once again. "I-I mean… yes." Giving up on evasions, she hung her head while admitting the truth. After a few seconds though, she raised her head, eyes glimmering with passion through her glasses. "B-but I mean, is that why you're here too!?"

Unable to lie, Ren's eyes flicked around the room, cautiously looking for eavesdroppers.

"You shouldn't talk about that here," Morgana cautioned from Ren's bag.

Replying to the cat with an imperceptible nod, Ren turned back to Sumire. "Do you… Maybe want to get a breath of fresh air for a few minutes with me?"

"I-I would love to Senpai."

With Sumire demurely falling in line beside him, Ren wondered how the other patrons saw them. Did they see a couple? _Any guy would be lucky to have her._ Ren was forced to admit, that, as a person, he still had quite a bit of growing he needed to do in order to be worthy of a girl like her. These midterms had shown his knowledge needed work, too many times where he was afraid to speak his mind… The list went on.

All too soon, they were outside the exhibit building. An angry Ryuji tapping his foot waiting for Ren. "There you are!? When did you get to be so… Ah, uh… hey."

"Oh, I don't believe we've been introduced," Sumire replied politely. "I am Yoshizawa Sumire, you must be… Sakamoto senpai, yes?"

"Senpai…" Ryuji muttered, loving the sound of the word. "I mean, uh, yeah, I am!"

"U-Uh, okay…" Put off by Ryuji's response, Sumire's words stalled out. A lull in the conversation building.

"So," Ren interrupted, trying to move it forward, "why exactly did you come here today?"

"Oh." Sumire looked embarrassed, staring at her feet. Doing so, her bangs obscured most of face in Ren assumed was a very calculated look. It was amazing how wildly her mood could shift her appearance from athlete to shy schoolgirl. "W-well… There was a post on the phansite…"

"Go on," Ren prompted.

"A-and well… I just thought… I'd uh, help out by looking into it… I'm so sorry!"

Ren blinked in confusion as Sumire deeply bowed. Scratching his head, he looked at Ryuji. Something wasn't adding up here, but Ren couldn't quite figure out what it was. Ryuji only shrugged in reply and Morgana stayed silent, probably hoping to avoid having Sumire notice the cat in Ren's bag.

"Umm, well I think that's really cool!" Ryuji spoke, giving her a big thumbs-up. "You're trying to help people out who get abused by shitty adults, way to go!"

"B-but, you didn't need me…" Sumire's face blanched instantly. "I-I got to go! My family is waiting, bye!"

Overpowered by her final sentence and swift flight away from them, Ren briefly forgot about her initial statement.

"Didn't need her?" Morgana murmured, reminding Ren of the important part of her words.

"Maybe… She thinks we're big fans?" Ren replied weakly, knowing it definitely wasn't the case.

"Don't sweat it," Ryuji shrugs, clearly not seeing the issue. "She treats us like we're superheroes! It's awesome!"

Ren sighed, taking one last glance at the exhibit before following Ryuji back to Shibuya. He'd have to confront Sumire about this eventually, but today wasn't the time. They had a bigger fish to fry.

* * *

_Sunday May 15_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Kasumi quickly retreated to the top of stairs before timing her slow descent to the front door. At the same time, that door opened, Sumire quite literally fleeing back inside. "Hey, I was just coming to get you."

"EH!?" Squeaking in panic, Sumire almost tripped walking up the stairs.

Shaking her head at her strange sister, Kasumi tried to understand the conversation that she'd overheard. It had been hard to make it all out, but the subject was clear: the phantom thieves. While Kasumi was sure that she'd probably overreacted, the group was still dangerous.

"O-Oh hey… right, the tickets are only an hour, aren't they?"

Kasumi fell in line beside her sister, escorting her back to the crammed exhibit. It was hard to believe that so many people were willing to pay to view something like this. Kasumi personally felt little from the paintings surrounding her that people ensured her were masterpieces. To her though, none of them looked any better than something you could find anywhere. Some of them looked quite a bit worse. Kasumi was pretty sure Sumire saw them the same way.

"So… art."

"Y-Yes, art!" Sumire stuttered again.

"…I didn't know you liked it." Probing her sister, Kasumi wasn't sure how to discuss the fact that she'd eavesdropped on her conversation with senpai. The introduction still embarrassing her.

"W-well… You know… just trying to b-broaden my horizons. Appreciate the fine arts…"

Kasumi knew it was a lie, but still sighed. Entering the gallery itself, Kasumi couldn't hold back her words. "You know, I've seen _all_ of the best pieces here already. They are viewable on the website and were used as promotional images. There is literally no difference."

"Haha… I think… It's about the experience of the thing? Like seeing pictures of mountains is actually different from hiking in the mountains?"

Still filled with disbelief, Kasumi dropped it. She assumed that an art connoisseur would agree with Sumire's words. However… "You think, huh? That's not a very convincing reason to drag us here."

"T-To be honest…" Sumire stuttered, averting her gaze. "I didn't come here for the art."

Smiling internally, Kasumi wasn't surprised that she eventually got the truth out. She knew Sumire was too honest to lie to her for long. "So, what is the reason?"

"…You won't be happy."

"Because it's about the phantom thieves?"

"Eep!" Squealing again, Sumire's face flamed up. "I-I'm so sorry!" Bowing slightly to Kasumi, Sumire's body was shivering slightly, expecting a lecture.

Sighing yet again, Kasumi wondered where all of her energy had gone these past weeks. "Just… Be careful, alright?"

"W-wait, why aren't you telling me to stop!?"

"Would you listen if I did?" Kasumi laughed back, forcing some humour into her voice. "I'm your sister, not your keeper."

"T-Thank you," Sumire replied, sending Kasumi a small grateful smile.

"So, why are we at an art exhibit for the phantom thieves?"

"Hehe, get this! There was a post on the phansite about an artist named Madarame that exhorts his pupils and takes their works for his own!"

"Madarame…?" Kasumi muttered in surprise, "you can't possibly mean…"

"I think so!" Sumire continued, her personality having done a 180. The abashed repentance was nowhere to be seen. To Kasumi's eyes she was filled with an energy. A happiness that she found something to fulfill her.

"W-why?" Kasumi asked, confused by this new sister. She had always been the energetic one, leading ideas and conversations. Now though, it was Sumire taking the lead.

"Hehe, at first, I couldn't find anything to verify this claim. Buuut, then I started reading some reviews on his works. How art critics would point out Madarame's mastery of seemingly distinct styles. How miraculous it is for one man to be able to create art in so many different ways."

"…Isn't that extremely suspicious?" Kasumi asked. Even without knowing literally anything about art, that raised several red flags. Not that people can't be good at different things, a decathlete instantly came to her mind, however, the way Sumire said it made it sound more extreme than that. Like someone managing to be an Olympic sprinter, marathon runner, and powerlifter at the same time. A literal impossibility that would require multiple body and muscle types.

"I thought so!" Sumire replied, whispering excitedly. Her bright red eyes shining behind her glasses. "Yet no matter how hard I looked; I simply couldn't find negative comments on any official thread. It seemed very deliberately curated. So, I looked a little further. Began digging into his pupils, the ones that he had apparently plagiarized."

"And?" Kasumi queried, finding herself surprisingly interested in the subject.

"…Nothing!" Sumire answered happily.

"…What?"

"I mean… For a person that always talks about being a good mentor, and loving to support the next generation of artists… where are their works? Where are these people he has groomed to paint inspirational pieces?"

"Ah…" Kasumi nodded, finally figuring out where her sister was going with this. "So, his pupils never release their own art because Madarame takes them… Which is why he can paint so many styles."

"Yupp!" Sumire nodded happily.

"Makes sense, so… why are we here?"

"To find more information of course!" Sumire replied indignantly.

"Which would be…?" Kasumi asked with a smile, wondering how well this plan was thought through. "What, did you think you would be able to find the guy in a corner of the exhibit having a conversation detailing all of his crimes?"

"N-No!" Sumire replied, blushing profusely.

Rolling her eyes, Kasumi couldn't help but smile at her naïve sister's ideas. She certainly had determination as her research had shown, but her planning needed a bit of work.

Conversation lapsing, Kasumi was forced closer to the wall as a large number of patrons walked past, most of them whispering excitedly about what they had seen. Their words making Kasumi want to wince. _Powerful, diverse, very experienced._

Was any of that true?

Debating it, Kasumi actually _looked_ at one of the pieces. It was a painting of trees, that seemed to be in autumn. Colours of yellow, orange, and red were mixed together and blurred. It was frustrating, like a blurry photograph. If it was painted clearer, it would be beautiful. A fantastic landscape worth viewing. With everything mixed together though… the beauty was lost.

Blinking, Kasumi wondered if she wasn't actually beginning to understand art a little. She felt like she understood a small portion of what the artist was trying to convey. One of lost beauty, or an inability to see beauty and the frustration that comes from it. All combined with the realization that it was coming to an end. Soon, this beauty they couldn't view would end and they'd be left with nothing but barren trees.

"Are you… examining it?"

"Yes." Kasumi admitted. "I think… I may have been a bit harsh on art. This one is quite good."

"Good?" Sumire asked. "It's not very pretty though…"

"I don't think it's supposed to be," Kasumi spoke aloud, wondering if she sounded like the other patrons with their condescending views on the paintings. "I think the artist was trying to express their frustration."

"Frustration? I don't thin…"

Sumire's words were cut off by a hearty laugh. The man turned the corner, followed by hordes of adoring fans. Looking at him, Kasumi instantly knew that this was the painter, Ichiryusai Madarame. Glancing once between the painting and the happy old man, Kasumi believed. There was no way this painting was done by this man.

* * *

_Monday May 16_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"How dare you!?" Yusuke yelled. "Sensei took me in and has cared for me after my mother died! And you dare slander his name!?"

Ren was taken aback by the vehement denial. They had already checked Madarame's name in the nav. There was little doubt at this point that the claims were true. Ren certainly hadn't expected this vehement denial to Ryuji's accusations.

Listening silently, Ren simply watched as Madarame himself made an appearance, assuring Yusuke that everything was fine. Simply friends checking to make sure that he was alright. Ren wished he could believe the words. Assume that it was just people being jealous of an amazing artist that cared only for his art and raising pupils. But there was too much evidence. The palace was only the final straw that really guaranteed it.

As the door closed, Ren waved them back into the middle of the empty intersection. This part of town looked half abandoned. Quite a way from anywhere convenient. Frowning as he walked, Ren's thoughts were disrupted by a flash of red. Giving his eyes a rub, Ren stared but couldn't see anything that would be that colour. Giving up on it for now, he turned to the other two.

"Well, what now?"

"That's my question," Ryuji sighed heavily. "I mean… we're doing the right thing, yeah?"

"I don't know…" Ann murmured, sounding torn. "Yusuke seems to really care about him…"

"But he could also be blinded," Ren advised. "Madarame did raise him after all. Scared to admit the truths in front of his face."

"Come on," Morgana whined, popping out of the bag. "Let's figure out the palace keywords and check it out. That should tell us everything we need to know."

"Agreed," Ren nodded, "Kamoshida's revealed his true mature almost instantly."

"Yes!" Ryuji cheered, taking out his phone to do the honour's. "Alright, so, Ichiryusai Madarame, Ichiryusai Madarame's shack. Then…"

"Uhh… something to do with art, yes?" Ann wondered.

"Probably," Morgana added. "It will be whatever he sees this place as."

"So… an Art studio?" Ryuji guessed to no avail.

"…Or maybe a castle?"

Pursing his lips, Ren was pretty sure the correct answer was an obvious one. "An art museum."

" _Target acquired."_

"Way to go leader!" Ryuji cheered. "Well, everybody ready?"

With no time to answer yes or no, _"Navigation commencing."_

Tensing up, Ren hoped that there wouldn't be any shadows staring at them. Finding a reliable starting point could be quite a challenge. Immediately though, thoughts of shadows were wiped from his mind. Staring up in awe, Joker couldn't care less about the line of cognitive beings, for there was a giant golden… _thing._ The building was massive, dwarfing even Kamoshida's palace. It was supposed to be an art museum, but it resembled more an emperor's palace to Joker than an actual museum. The aesthetics screamed money and power, with beauty forgotten about under the assumption that gold made everything beautiful.

"W-well," Skull breathed, gathering his wits first, "looks like the front entrance is out, seeming as he sees us as intruders already."

"You're right," Joker agreed, gathering himself quickly. "Let's go check it out." Eyeing a conveniently placed van, Joker easily scaled it and led them in infiltrating the museum. Through the garden and over the oblivious guards' heads, Joker dropped down through an open window. Inside were… "Portraits?"

"It's creepy how similar they all are," Panther commented, their resident art expert. "The shading and positioning… none of them have any unique features."

"And look at this," Mona pointed out stiffly, gesturing at where the name of the piece should be. "Each one is a name of a person."

"…Let's keep going." Joker decided. He had a lingering suspicion about what this all meant, but it was far too early for him to make any deductions quite yet. Going through the next door was merely more of the same. Here the aisles were more confusing. Almost like a poorly arranged maze than a proper exhibit. Boards set up to display paintings randomly assembled.

_Maybe Madarame thinks this looks good?_

Joker passed through the room quickly wondering how on earth anyone could be deluded enough to think that that room was something anyone would ever want to pay money to visit was beyond him. The next room was far more interesting though. Here, those same portraits still hung, but each one was extremely large. A massive piece that would take hundreds of hours to complete in an actual painting of this size. Freezing, Joker realized he recognized the person portrayed in it. "Nakanohara…"

"Holy shit…" Skull agreed looking at it.

"Wait," Panther puzzled, "So these are portraits of his pupils? But why?"

"You aren't going to like that answer," Mona told her, "let's keep going."

Moving on, they walked down the hallway solemnly. Joker assumed this portion of the museum was of relative unimportance to Madarame. Usually Joker had a pretty good grasp of how the palace ruler viewed them, and how tight the security in the place was. Right now, it was extremely low. Either Madarame wasn't on guard or didn't really care about this area.

"No way…"

"So, he's here too huh?"

"Kitagawa Yusuke," Joker read out sadly. Strangely, his painting was one with a bit more life than some of the others. The blue hair and shirt in the portrait giving it a little more life. Still though, for such an enigmatic individual, this portrait did a horrible job of capturing that.

"So, this is how Madarame views his pupils," Mona shook his head sadly, "as his possessions."

"Wait," Panther broke in with disgust. "So, like the other me in Kamoshida's palace… _This_ is the Yusuke in Madarame's?"

"Yep."

"…At least I was a human…"

"This proves it," Ren decided. "Madarame views his pupils as nothing more than objects he uses to make money. We have to change his heart before Yusuke, 'outlives his worth' as well."

"Hell yeah!" Skull fist pumped. "Let's keep going in then!"

"No," Ren disagreed. "I'd really like to get Yusuke on board with this. To hear from him that he wants Madarame's heart changed. We can't go messing with people's lives because we feel like it. We set out with a mission to reform society by straightening out rotten adults that abuse those around them. While Madarame certainly is one, we really do need to talk to Yusuke first."

"That's our Joker!" Mona praised him. "Couldn't have put it better myself."

"Fine!" Ryuji groaned, upset that he wasn't going to get to beat up shadows today. "But how are we getting him to talk to us?" Instinctively, three sets of eyes locked unto Panther. "Oh yeah!"

"Huh? D-don't all stare at me!"

"We just need you to model for the guy," Joker explained while leading them out of the palace. "We'll be there as well so no need to panic."

"…Fine! I mean, it's whatever."

"Thanks Panther," shooting her a wink, Joker led them silently across the garden once more toward the entrance. Landing back on the van, his instincts told him that there was something out of place. Activating his third eye ability from Igor, Joker scrutinized the area. Finding nothing, he jumped down and left the palace, the single strand of red hair going unnoticed, stuck in the roof of the van.

* * *

_Monday May 16_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Sumire paced around her room, the confines making her feel claustrophobic. She wanted to go faster, to take more steps without being forced to turn around and walk the other way. She'd lost track of how long she'd paced at this point. It was probably approaching bedtime. Yet Sumire knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Her emotions were wound tight.

The images from today kept flashing through her mind. How she had followed Senpai from school to that rundown house. She was glad she had abandoned the book strategy. It turned out to be much easier without one obscuring half her vision and she actually left less conspicuous without it. Then, after arriving, the yelling that had occurred there, revealing it to be Madarame's. Finally, when hiding around the corner, listening to their conversation when it suddenly happened. Something about a navigation app before she was brought… somewhere.

That giant golden abomination was burned into her mind. She had barely managed to process it before realizing that Senpai had left. The other two with him as well as… something. It looked like a stunted monster from the short glimpse she'd gotten from the back. Trying to follow them, Sumire had found herself quickly humiliated. She had thought that her body was one of the strongest around. Years of physical conditioning focusing on flexibility and control. Despite that, they outpaced her easily. Hopping from pillar to pillar as if there was no gap at all.

Finding where they had entered, Sumire's nerve had broken. Turning around, she had left the strange place, thankfully without getting seen by the strange guards walking the ground. Masks on top of misshapen bodies wearing security guard outfits. Shivering slightly as she thought about them, their unhuman presence made Sumire confident that she didn't want to try and talk to them, ask for an explanation. Nor the faceless people that stood in line at the main entrance.

Just as panic had been setting in, Sumire returned to the spot she had been when the world shifted and found herself back. Staring at Madarame's house for a minute, Sumire simply left. She didn't want to have the awkward conversation that would occur when senpai showed back up.

Since then, Sumire's mind hasn't stopped trying to reject the things she'd seen. Even knowing that Senpai was there as the phantom thieves couldn't help her out. She had expected something amazing from him, but this was beyond her wildest imagination. It just didn't seem possible that the phantoms thieves were… what? Walking between worlds?

Growling at her useless circling thoughts, Sumire began pulling on her hair as her pacing picked up its frequency. The little available room started to seriously annoy her. Briefly considering leaving the house to take a walk, Sumire took a deep breath and threw herself on her bed. Stroking the covers that were beginning to be too warm for the encroaching summer, she didn't have the motivation to change them just yet. There was just something appealing about reclining into softness and feeling like your body is floating on a pillow that Sumire wasn't willing to let go of until the heat grew too intense.

"The phantom thieves change hearts by entering a different world."

Speaking the statement aloud, Sumire felt the truth in it. The logical part of her had been warring with her for hours about what she had seen and felt. Finally, Sumire accepted it. The decision had been easy once she just accepted what she already knew. That she believed in Senpai and knew that he would do the right thing. If that involved travelling to another world, then so be it.

Chuckling slightly at her illogical conclusion, Sumire brought her phone out. Opening it, she instinctively scrolled through her short contact list. Pausing at where she hoped senpai's number would reside somewhat soon. Sighing at her delusions, Sumire closed it and looked for her browser, wanting to go through the comments on the phansite once more before bed.

Thumb pausing over the screen, Sumire's vision was drawn to a red app in the corner. Squinting at it, the shape inside appeared to be a caricature of an eye. Finding it more than a tad unsettling, Sumire clicked on it, opening an extremely simple interface. Pressing on the icon in the corner opened an empty search menu. Backing out of that led her back to the home screen. Frowning, Sumire was certain she didn't download the app, and it didn't seem to do _anything._ Pressing some more random buttons, Sumire paused as she made something happen.

_Enter a name._

"Could this be…" Wondering if she found the navigation thingy that they'd talked about, Sumire opened the keypad. _Ichiryusai Madarame._

" _Hit found."_

"Ah!" Jumping in surprise at the audible sound, Sumire lost control of her phone which fell squarely on her face. "Oww…" Groaning from the pain, Sumire felt far stupider as she turned on her side, no longer being forced to hold it above her head.

_Enter a location._

Puzzling over this one, Sumire tried to remember, but couldn't pull the dialogue from the conversation. She had been too far away to properly hear what they had said. However, simply based on where they were standing… "Ichiryusai Madarame's house?"

"… _Hit found."_

Delaying this time, it was like the app was unhappy to receive it. However, the text changed yet again.

_Enter a distortion._

"Distortion?" Now Sumire was good and lost. All she remembered was that they were standing outside Madarame's place, and then they were in front of that… thing. What was it?

"An art museum?"

" _Destination found."_

"Huh?" Sitting up straight, Sumire stared at her phone in wonder. "Can I… Go to that world?" Her screen had a large 'BEGIN NAVIGATION' button. Trembling in both excitement and fear, she couldn't believe it. For some reason, she now had the same ability as the phantom thieves. Maybe it was from accidently getting caught up in their first transportation.

Thumb hovering nervously over it, Sumire quickly backed out. Those guards had scared her. She certainly didn't want to face any of them alone. Even worse, she still wasn't sure exactly how she managed to leave.

Going to close the application and try to wring some sleep, one last thought came to her mind. Starting a new search, Sumire didn't bother with typing.

"Principal Kobayakawa."

" _Too vague, enter a proper name."_

Frowning, Sumire actually closed the application this time and opened the internet browser. A quick search later and… "Botan?" Giggling at the first name, Sumire could practically imagine a mother patting a baby on the head while calling it 'Bo-bo'. It was so extremely dissident form the principal's appearance and mannerisms that Sumire wasn't surprised the name didn't appear on his nameplate.

" _Hit found."_

"So it's true…" Having entered the name, Sumire stared at where the application had accepted the principal's full name. While it was possible that every single person could have something like this, something made Sumire doubt it. There was a feeling from that art museum that told Sumire only a select few people had their own world. That was only further solidified by the third question. A distortion.

Continuing to the second question, Sumire tapped the back of her phone with her finger while thinking. "Kobayakawa Botan's house."

" _Hit not found."_

Biting her lip, Sumire felt like she had expected that. While she was still stumbling around with the app, it seemed like the location was dependant on the person. It didn't have to be their house. Probably somewhere important to them. Like… "Shujin academy."

" _Hit found."_

Giving herself a small fist pump, Sumire was left staring at the last and final question. Also, the most challenging. The other two had been extremely easy in comparison. Here, there were almost no limits to things Sumire could try. A distortion. Madarame's house became an art museum. So, this was probably what Kobayakawa saw the school as.

"A castle?"

" _Hit not found."_

"An oasis?"

" _Hit not found."_

"A resort?"

" _Hit not found."_

"A casino."

" _Hit not found."_

"A ship?" Sumire finally tried growing desperate.

" _Hit not found."_

"Grr…" Growling at it, Sumire laid back down on her bed and stared at the roof. Taking a moment to herself, she finally looked back at her phone, to the clock in the corner. "11:30?" Groaning at the time, Sumire knew it was time for bed. "Maybe a couple more attempts…"

Searching for more things it could be, Sumire was about to keep guessing when her screen went black. Clicking the button on the side did nothing. It had died.

Taking that to be a sign she should quit for the day, Sumire went and plugged it in. Stretching she headed out to the bathroom to get ready for bed, the list she had been formulating fading from her mind.

* * *

_Tuesday May 17_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Staring at the blank canvas, Yusuke's hand shook with anger, not painting anything. He couldn't believe how casually they had infiltrated his house. Coming here when only Ann was desired. The two filthy tager-ons who had no business being associated with someone as beautiful as Ann. Someone as pure.

Yes, that's all it was. A righteous anger that they would inhibit his pursue for true beauty while slandering his sensei with those baseless rumours. That must be it.

"Sensei is just… in a slump right now." Muttering to himself, the usual platitude did nothing to soothe Yusuke's misgivings today. All too easily, the scene from the exhibit came back to him. How Ann had praised _his_ painting. The one he had given to Madarame to aid the sensei that had been so kind to him.

So, why did seeing it there, hanging under Madarame's name hurt so much?

"Guh," grunting, Yusuke clasped his hand to his heart, unsure why he was in so much pain. Everywhere he looked, everything he did, that blond kid was in front of him. His words repeating endlessly in Yusuke's ears about how Madarame was abusing Yusuke. Had abused his past pupils.

"No, focus on Ann, the nude painting you will soon do."

The thought offered a brief respite to Yusuke. An oasis where he could consider the pinnacle of beauty. A pure, feminine form, undiluted by the aspirations of man as she was clad in only what god gave her and shimmering light, highlighting every perfect curve and lock of hair. The reflections captured in her blue eyes.

Yes!

Yusuke could see it now, the painting everyone the world over would someday adore. With _his_ name, Kitagawa Yusuke hanging beneath it. A work of art he could put beside the Sayuri and not feel like it was the lesser of the two.

Wincing, Yusuke remembered his attempts today. How sure he had been previously that all he needed was Ann and a canvas to produce that painting. How badly that had failed. Would her being naked really solve these things?

Torn by his feelings of inadequacy and fear, Yusuke put his brush down, there would be no painting today.

* * *

_Tuesday May 17_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"What a god damn pain in the ass!" Ryuji raged once they'd left Madarame's house. " _I don't remember inviting you two,_ seriously, what a dick!"

Trying to suppress it, Ren still found himself nodding slightly in agreement. The boy had refused to give up anything on Madarame even after being pressured. He had winced like the words had struck true but refused to face the truth. Yusuke was running away.

"Calm down Ryuji," Ann scolded him. "You aren't the one that he is trying to blackmail to model nude! Besides, Madarame is the only father figure he has ever known."

"Yes," Ren agreed, "we need to make a calm decision here. It's clear that Yusuke doesn't want our help. Do you change Madarame's heart anyway?"

"I wouldn't mind finding a new target," Ryuji shrugged. "Doesn't seem like we'll be helping anyone here."

"No!" Ann berated him once again. "Yusuke is just confused. We will be helping him by changing Madarame… I think…"

"Look at you," Morgana tsked. "Still helpless without me I see. It is obvious that we have to do this. How many lives has Madarame ruined? Even if Yusuke likes to pretend that everything is alright, that doesn't change anything."

"…What you need isn't always what you want." Ren murmured, agreeing with Morgana's statement even if it felt like Morgana wanted to do this for more selfish reasons. Even if that was true, he couldn't really blame him.

"Yes!" Ryuji fist pumped excitedly. "Let's go get a treasure route."

"You got it," Ren nodded, flashing them a joker-esque smile while quickly activating the metanav. A slight dizzy spell later, they were there again, outside the golden monstrosity with their phantom thieves' outfits on. Wasting no time, Joker led them towards the van to begin the route they had found last time. Even from here though, he could tell that the security had gone up. Madarame hearing them say the rumours had probably increased his wariness.

Pausing outside the van, Ren glanced at the appearing velvet room door and felt a bit of relief. He was wondering if he would have access to it here as well. "I'll be a bit." Waving them off, he approached the glowing blue door.

"Our master would like a word, inmate," Justine greeted him, with the typical words. Her face as cold and distant as ever.

Despite somewhat liking his wardens, Ren couldn't help but feel like they didn't share the same feelings for him. They oversaw him because Igor told them to. If Igor told them to kill him… shivering slightly at the thought, Ren assumed they would do that as well without a second of hesitation.

As usual, when Ren entered, his rebel's outfit faded, and his body was adorned with a prisoner's uniform. The distinct black and white uniform he was beginning to hate.

"Listen up Inmate! Our master has a gift for you, cry tears of joy!"

Smiling slightly, Ren wanted to chuckle at the all too familiar line. It was probably supposed to be intimidating, but when Caroline said it, it always came out cuter than scary.

"Wipe that smirk off your face!"

"Do you find our master's good will humorous?"

Getting berated, Ren tried to look abashed, as Caroline eyed the bars of his cage with her electric baton. The shock from which stung for a long while. Thankfully, Ren was getting better at identifying the swings and letting go in time.

"Peace," Igor's deep voice rang out. "It seems you have found your next villain who will prove yourselves to the world. However, there appear to be many things moving fast now. Stay on your toes to make sure they don't wash you away. This should help with your struggles."

Once again, Ren felt like a bond between himself and Igor had strengthened. It was evolving past master and inmate, but where it was heading Ren wasn't sure, only that he was glad for the aid and warnings he had provided over the last month and a bit.

"I believe the twins have something to discuss with you now…"

As Igor trailed off, Ren turned his attention to the two girls. Inside himself, he could instinctively feel the power that Igor had bestowed upon him. Or perhaps more accurately to say, that the bond between them had allowed Ren to awaken to.

"Sit!" Caroline commanded pointing at the ground.

Hesitating, Ren stared at them in disbelief. The floor of his prison looked like it had never been washed. Especially right beside the toilet…

"If you do not, we will not bestow our aid," Justine followed up with her icy glare.

Swallowing, Ren forced himself to sit, making sure he didn't place his hands against the ground as he did so.

"He actually did it… I mean, uh… Obey faster next time inmate!"

"Well?" Ren asked, unhappy about being bullied by these two, even if they were some sort of mystical entities.

"You lack patience," Justine criticized, "perhaps this will be too hard for you."

"Come on," Caroline prompted, strangely excited. "I want to see him struggle."

"…Very well. Inmate, as our job as your wardens, we are responsible in making sure you extract every last bit of your power in order to conquer the challenges ahead.

_Are they… scared for me?_

The errant thought flying through Ren's head as he listened obediently.

"To do that, we will give you a persona to fuse with a specific ability. Bring it to us, and then we shall give you the next task."

"Uhh… How exactly does this help?"

"Shut up inmate!" Caroline raged, pounding on the bars with her baton. "She was getting to that!"

"Precisely… Your first task is to fuse a Jack Frost with mabufu."

"…"

"…"

"Hey, uh, Justine?"

"I realize Caroline."

"Okay."

Unsure what to say at this point, Ren had realized it at the same time as the wardens. He already had a Jack frost with mabufu on him.

"Hmm, as acknowledgement of your accomplishment, we will now provide a new service. There are specific personas you can now fuse using a group guillotine involving three or more sacrifices.

Opening his mouth to reply with how useful that will be, and thanking the twins for the additional ritual, Ren felt it. The bond between the twins and him. Another one he could increase to forge stronger personas and gain additional abilities to aid him here in the metaverse.

"It seems that we have forged a bond inmate. Complete these tasks that we give you to nurture it and hope that the power it grants is enough to save you."

"You should be grateful, inmate!"

"I am," Ren replied simply, perhaps surprising Caroline. "What is the second task?"

"Hmm, eager, are we?" Caroline teased, "perhaps we will make something from you after all."

"Perhaps," Justine agreed with a tight-lipped smile, the closest to happiness Ren had seen from either of them. "The next task is to bring us a Ame-no-Uzume with frei."

Blinking in confusion, Joker slowly nodded, having no idea what either of those were. He hadn't encountered that skill, whatever it did, or that persona yet. Finally understanding that this list wouldn't be a couple day exercise, Ren prepared to leave.

"Be sure not to forget this inmate."

"I won't," Ren promised, waving them goodbye. Maybe he was imagining it, but he could have sworn their hands twitched in answer before they coldly stared at him until he left. One dizzying transition later and he was back in the real world.

"Damn Joker," Skull yelled at him from the van, "hurry it up already."

"It was important," Joker insisted, jogging to catch up. "I need time to manage my personas after all."

"Yeah yeah, you're more awesome than us, we get it."

"Don't forget it," Joker teased back before throwing himself into the garden. Crossing the now familiar path easily, they reached the open window in the roof and threw themselves inside.

Glancing around the interior, Joker whistled softly to himself. The security was night and day from the last time they'd entered. Glancing at the entrance to the next area, Joker quickly recoiled. Activating his third eye ability, they became clear.

Lasers crossing in front of the doorway.

The only advantage was that none were low enough to block a slide under them. Past that, the room that was completely empty before was now crawling with shadows. More lasers blocking off paths in that room as well.

"What the hell happened here?" Skull hissed.

"Madarame must sense how agitated Yusuke is," Panther murmured sympathetically for the boy. "Probably worried that his last pupil will try and get him arrested."

"Either way," Mona informed them, "they don't seem to be looking out for us specifically. As long as we keep a level head, we can get through this."

"Of course," Joker smiled broadly at them. "Let's get to the stealing." Leaving it there, he deftly slid under the lasers and quickly approached the first shadow. Jumping on it, Joker ripped its mask off, revealing the true shadows underneath the guise.

"Damn it, dude," Skull cursed, "don't leave us behind like that!" Racing to catch up, the two of them struggled to get underneath, Mona barely had to duck and was right by joker's side ready for the fight.

"Hurry up, slowpoke," Mona teased. "I'll show you how its done!" Summoning Zorro, Mona used his area of effect wind attack to blast both the odd shadows. They were a pair of old gnomes, hiding under a leaf which they held above their heads. As the wind washed over them, neither of them took much noticeable damage.

"Let's see how you like bullet then!" Joker laughed; glad he'd get a chance to attack them. Whipping out his handgun, Joker sunk four shots into both, dealing even less damage than Mona did. Feeling awkward that his performance had spectacularly failed, Joker waited for the other two to jump in on the fight.

"Ha! Guess I'll save you two!" Twin bolts of lightning rattled down upon the leaves and burst apart into sparks. The three of them had maybe managed to whittle away a third of their stamina.

"Boys," Panther criticized them, "always leaving the real work to the women. Dance Carmen!"

"Argh!" Releasing pathetic screams, the two leaf gnomes collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain from the burns coating their body. The resistance they had against the previous attack proving ineffective to Panther's fire.

Surrounding them, Joker pointed his gun mercilessly one of their heads, order to finish them on the tip of tongue. Thinking better of it, he changed his strategy. "You, join me."

"Slow down now sonny, I got a couple of questions first."

Joker gritted his teeth and struggled not to give up on this and slaughter them. Each shadow possessed its own personality and quirks that made convincing them annoying. Somehow the gun to their heads didn't do a good enough job.

_Although, if that politician can improve my speech…_

Finding himself with something to do this coming Sunday night, Joker waved for the shadow to ask its question.

"Well then, let's say you bring a girl back to your place, but she passes out before you get to the good part, which happened to me recently, what do you do?"

Doubting anything of the sort happened to the shadow recently Joker frowned at it. "Tuck her into bed?" Wondering what other answer there possibly was. Too many variables were missing from the scenario.

"No, no!" The shadow rejected. "What? You think this happens every day? She's in _your_ room. You do the good part anyway!"

"…Can I kill them now?" Panther growled under her breath, clearly ticked off by its rather… inappropriate answer.

Waving her to calm down, Joker examined the shadow, waiting for its next question. Or wondering if he had disappointed it too badly.

"Now, I'll give you one more chance! Let's say you walking down the street when a fly honey catches your eye."

_Fly honey?_

"What do you do to turn her from some girl, into your girl?"

"Casually saunter over to her and smack her ass," Joker responded with a straight face. "Then follow that up with, damn girl, if it's that bouncy, can't wait to see you bounce on me in bed…" Trailing off, Joker felt extremely awkward. The other three's stupefied visages weighing down the incomprehensible words that he'd just spoke.

"Yes! Yes! That's it!" The shadow trailed. "You truly are the alpha among men! I remember now, I'm not just a shadow, I am a fragment of the sea of souls. My name is Koropokkuru. I shall become your mask."

Absorbing its power, the other one faded from existence, slinking back into the ether of power that surrounded them in the metaverse. Examining the new power within himself, Joker stared at the thing and the arcana to which it belonged, hermit. In this case the persona appeared to be a sleezy old man that dreamed of younger days where he had a chance with younger girls. Sighing from the strange personality he had picked up, Joker vowed to fuse it away at the soonest possible time.

"You… You were just saying that to get it to join you, right?" Panther asked with a wary glare.

"Of course," Joker confirmed. "I need to keep powering up and that means recruiting personas."

"W-way to go leader!" Skull cheered on, the conversation even a bit much for him.

"Now," Joker grinned, cracking his neck, "let's get some exploring done, yeah?"

* * *

_Tuesday May 17_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

"Again?" Kasumi asked in disbelief, not wanting to understand her father's words.

Wincing from having to convey the information to his daughter, Shinichi continued. "Unfortunately… Yes. It seems like you were quite a big hit. The public want to know more about this inspiring girl that got her school to rise up to dethrone their crooked teacher."

Sitting down with a thump at her desk, Kasumi felt the panic begin to rise. Breaths coming faster and faster, she was a moment away from hyperventilating. Once again, the walls and options were closing in around her. Sumire's phantom thieves either couldn't, or wouldn't, help. Without an admission from Principal Kobayakawa, Kasumi was thoroughly screwed.

"I know this isn't what you wanted," Shinichi tried to soothe her, "but it isn't as bad as you're making it out to be…"

"…You don't understand." Whispering under her breath, Kasumi turned to her desk and laid her head down upon on it. After a couple more seconds, her father turned and left, leaving her alone with her thoughts. The lacquered wood felt cool under her cheek as she stared at nothing. Her arms blotting everything out.

Kasumi could feel it coming now like an inevitable vice. How the public would consider her a hero. Then, investigators would begin circling the school, looking for interviews from students on how exactly Kasumi inspired them. Then, all the 'hot takes' would appear. _Student lying for fame?_ Or maybe _Hero to Zero: Yoshizawa found connectionless to teacher's confession._

"And I'd deserve it…"

Letting her eyes close, Kasumi felt her dream slipping away from her. Glory and victory at international gymnastics a feat no longer possible as public condemnation falls upon her. The only consolation was that she didn't think what she had done was a crime. Frowned upon, but she didn't testify in front of a judge that she had played a role in Kamoshida's confession. Somehow, that didn't make her feel any better about it.

Kasumi had always believed that someone should solve their own problems. Focus and improve yourself first. If everyone did that, there would be no issues left. However, that oversimplification had smacked her in the face more than once now. Shivering slightly from the encroaching fear, Kasumi wasn't sure if she could do it. Handle the messages and mail and posts condemning her, calling her a fake and liar. Even just the thought of it had her sick to her stomach.

"Isn't there anyone who can help me…"

Trailing off, Kasumi bolted upright as a thought came over her. With shaking hands, she withdrew her phone from her pocket. There, in her contacts sat a name, so normal and yet so different from the others: Goro Akechi.

Thumb hovering over the call button, Kasumi had second thoughts. The impact of how strange the boy had been had faded with time. She remembered not really liking him, but if he could help… Mashing the button, Kasumi waited, eyes closed, praying for an answer.

On the second ring, "detective Akechi speaking."

"H-hello." Kasumi replied unsteadily, "it's umm… Yoshizawa Kasumi, we talked a week ago at the television station."

"…Ah yes. The girl that made Suguru Kamoshida confess."

"I never said that." Kasumi retorted, holding onto the technicality she still had left in her favor.

"Regardless, you must be calling because you need my help to sort out your lies."

"…Yes," Kasumi relented with a sigh. She had made a chance to trust the boy, detective or not. There was little he could do that would result in worse consequences than what she already faced.

"I'll remind you; this is not an act of charity, I need… _things_ from you as well."

Blanching Kasumi almost hung up then and there. "Y-you… can't be serious. I'm not giving you my body so…"

"I'm going to stop you there. I have no interest in a conceited child like yourself. What I need is a Shujin student, which you so happen to be."

"…" Blushing deeply, Kasumi felt both relieved and embarrassed at the same time. Akechi's words had hit her deeper than she thought. A pride that she had turned her body into one that men couldn't help but want to possess. The detective had talked about her like she was trash. Barely even tolerable.

"I may need information on students at your school. At most you will have to see where they go after school."

Trying to analyze the request, Kasumi couldn't see anything particularly sinister about it. Gossip flowed quite easily around the high school, and Kasumi doubted there was anything particularly exciting in any of her classmates' lives.

"That's fine. But how can you help me?"

A slight chuckle came over the line before Akechi began talking again, his voice even more condescending, if that was possible. "Let me see if I have this straight. You did absolutely nothing to Kamoshida, maybe talked to him a couple times, then suddenly there is a calling card and he confesses. Someone high up at your school, maybe your principal, is now blackmailing you, using your father's influence to get you on a show about being the one who sparked this confession.

"Now, you turned out to such a hit that the media is clamoring for more. Of course, as they investigate further, they will discover that you did nothing, and the media loves nothing more than to produce flashy headlines about disgraced idols. You, are therefore trapped."

Sighing, Kasumi hated hearing her own thoughts repeated back to her. Especially in such a smug tone. "So, how can you help?"

"Who exactly is blackmailing you?"

"…You were right, my principal."

"When do you appear next on television."

"I'm doing the shoot tomorrow morning. I don't think they air it until noon or so." Answering a second time, Kasumi heard only silence for awhile. Looking at the screen, she found herself relieved that it was still connected. This help, no matter how tenuous it was, was still something. A person trying to aid her, a person with some clout.

"Unfortunately, the easiest way to resolve this won't work right now."

"W-what do you mean?" Kasumi asked. The words easy and resolve didn't make sense together in this situation.

"Arresting the principal and getting a confession about blackmailing you would solve your problems rather elegantly I believe. You would even leave the ordeal as a low tier celebrity. Something every high school girl dreams of I'm sure."

Gnashing her teeth, Kasumi supressed growling back at the boy. She couldn't afford to upset him, yet he seemed to take every opportunity to prod her as if searching for a reaction.

"…" Delaying for a short pause, Akechi kept talking. "In lieu of that, you need to make sure you say as little as possible during these interviews. Heap praise upon some of the students. Also redirect their questions to someone else. You did this fairly well last time but ramp it up now. Never state you actually _did_ anything."

"That doesn't fix my issue though!" Kasumi finally broke. She had figured out everything he had said on her own. This redundancy wasn't fixing her problem.

"I was getting there if you had patience." Akechi answered coldly. "Do you want me to bill you for ten minutes of a detective's time? Trust me, you won't like the sum since it rounds up to half an hour."

"…Please continue." Forcing the words out, Kasumi was pretty sure he was kidding. However, she doubted she could afford him on her own. Her father may help, but she didn't want to do that to him.

"Better. You'll be practically civilized by the time our deal is up."

"Grr…"

"So, tomorrow, after you give you interview, go to school. During lunch and afterwards canvas the school and get their feelings about you and the phantom thieves. If you have friends, get them to help. A solid basis of supporters will help."

"That's… Unlikely." Kasumi forced herself to admit. There was no way she would find even five students who were likely to help her.

"Why am I not surprised," Akechi's voice sighed back. "I should have expected that a conceited girl like yourself would be too high and mighty to make friends."

"Aren't you the same?" Kasumi found herself spitting back. "Does the great detective prince actually hang out with high school students?"

"As you said yourself, _I_ am a detective. _You_ are a lowly student. You are expected to make friends in keeping with social norms, I am not."

Despite the level tone, Kasumi felt like she had hit a sore spot. Akechi had shortcomings as well it seemed. Expected everyone else to go along with the herd while he scoffed down at them from his place above. "So, after I tell you that no one really believes in the phantom thieves and I am generally seen with envy among the student body, what then?"

"Then," Akechi continued, his last remnants of cordiality beginning to break down, "you will report back to me. Call me at exactly 9:30 pm tomorrow night. Don't be late."

"…And then?" Kasumi pressed, exasperated.

"Then I tell you what comes next."

"What!?" Screeching at him, Kasumi couldn't believe the sassy remark. Waiting for an answer, Kasumi realized that the line was dead. He'd hung up on her. "Unbelievable, rotten, filthy… _thing!"_

Swearing at that lousy, teasing detective, Kasumi threw her phone to her desk in disgust. She had never felt so humiliated, so belittled in all of her life. It was made worse by the fact that Akechi _knew_ Kasumi had no choice but to obey him to the letter.

"Hey, uh Kas, you doing all right in there?"

"Huh?" Glancing at the door, Kasumi jumped slightly, not sure if she was more surprised by Sumire knocking or the nickname that she hadn't heard for at least two years. "Y-yeah, I'm not bad."

"Oh… I just thought I heard you loudly swearing… I must have been mistaken."

Blushing, Kasumi wondered when her sister had become so sassy. So bold. _So unlike me nowadays._ Kasumi couldn't even stand up to an impertinent detective or her principal.

"So, I'll just… Go back to my room?"

"Actually," Kasumi spoke, a question crossing her mind, "why do you have so much confidence in the phantom thieves? …Assuming they exist anyway."

"They exist." Sumire shot back from through the door instantly.

Frowning at her confidence, that didn't sound like hope to Kasumi. That sounded like someone who knew something. Walking to the door, Kasumi opened it and looked at her sister. Sumire was recently showered, her wet hair held up in a towel. She also wasn't wearing her glasses because of this. It was almost hard for Kasumi to recognize her in this state.

She was… glowing. An energy or happiness that had been missing previously. Now, it was easy for Kasumi to see exactly how much was wrong with her before. It was night and day. Looking at her only made Kasumi feel worse. Sumire kept improving while Kasumi's life seemed to fall apart more and more as the days went on.

"H-hey…" Sumire said awkwardly from a foot away. "U-Umm, to answer your question, I have confidence in them… because they help people. If you wait a little longer, they'll help you as well!"

"That's nice," Kasumi smiles politely, "but I don't have very long. I have another TV appearance tomorrow morning. Soon reporters will be clamoring over the students, hunting for information about me."

"Oh no…" Sumire gasped, eyes widening with fear. "I'll tell them to… I mean, uh… I'm sure they'll get to it soon!"

Narrowing her eyes, Kasumi felt her suspicions return. Leaning closer to Sumire, Kasumi watched as she flinched and shifted nervously. "…You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"W-what!? Me, hiding something? Psh, of course not!"

Sighing Kasumi dropped it and shook her head at the horrible display of innocence. "Whatever. And thank you for trying to help me. I'll be alright…"

_I promise._

But the last two words wouldn't come. Kasumi didn't want to break a promise to her. Even if she lied on occasion, that was a line Kasumi wouldn't cross.

"Okay… Well, good night!"

"See you," giving her a parting wave, Kasumi shut the door again and retreated to her bed. Tumbling upon it, the energy to do the things she was supposed to wouldn't come. Falling into an uneasy sleep, Kasumi laid there with clothes on, unshowered as arrays of nightmares posing as dreams assaulted her subconscious.

* * *

_Wednesday May 18_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Sumire's heart hurt more as she continued to watch. She had initially noticed something at lunch, but now, following Kasumi from a safe distance, Sumire finally got a first-hand account of what exactly was happening. Her sister was walking around somewhat aimlessly stopping people and asking them questions.

In general, it seemed to Sumire that Kasumi had started mostly with girls but had begun gravitating to men. The boys of the school were more likely to talk to her and didn't give her those sullen half glares of envy. Sumire knew the expression well. It was one she had given to Kasumi for most of a year. An acknowledgement that, as a person, you knew Kasumi was better than you.

The boys at least were less likely to do that. Some of the more studious ones seemed upset that Kasumi got more time to write midterms and finals, not that she had used it for this last set, Sumire wanted to yell at them. What Sumire couldn't figure out, was the point of Kasumi's first question she was asking people. Maybe it was just a way of breaking the ice but querying them about the phantom thieves seemed strange. Then, like clockwork, Kasumi would transition it into a question about what they thought of her, one of the school's honour students.

Wincing for her sister, Sumire watched as yet another guy spoke some vague platitudes about it was cool to have high level athletes at the school, and, did she want to go get coffee? Turning down yet another proposal, Kasumi walked into an empty hallway, most of the student body having left for the day. There, as Sumire followed her, Kasumi slumped to the ground, arms over her head as she leaned against the wall.

"I'll help you… I promise." Whispering the words, Sumire ducked away and ran to the entrance. She hadn't seen the new interview yet, but once it got out to the student base, Sumire was sure their attitude toward Kasumi would only worsen. Maybe that's what this canvassing was. An effort to get them to see her a person, a fellow student, rather than a strange entity that only pretended to be one of them.

Reaching the front gate of the school, Sumire looked around for a place where she could hide. Seeing the alley just across the way, Sumire entered it part ways so that she wasn't visible from the main street. Even people leaving the school could easily miss her if they didn't look specifically at her.

Pulling out her phone, Sumire began her search anew. Noun after noun poured off her lips. An internet constructed list of buildings and structures fell one by one. Always with another to take its place.

Getting past the hundredth guess, Sumire closed her eyes, putting her phone in her bag. Rubbing her eyes for a bit, Sumire slid to the ground. The dirt and filth on the ground no longer bothering her. Her legs could stand for hours, but Sumire didn't have the energy for that anymore. It was all turned into motivation at the seemingly endless task ahead of her. It was like trying to pick a lock by inputting random numbers. Starting from 0000 and working her way to 9999 unsure of when she'd actually hit the correct entry.

"Observatory."

" _No match found."_

"Office building."

" _No match found."_

"Opera house."

" _No match found."_

"Outbuilding."

" _No match found."_

"Outhouse!"

" _No match found."_

"Gah!" With another character down, Sumire was growing desperate. It was possible that the correct answer wasn't even on this list. Staring nervously at the slowly darkening sky, Sumire made a decision. She'd finish what she had and if there was nothing, go home and do some more compiling.

"Parliament."

" _No match found."_

"Pavilion."

" _No match found."_

"Plant."

" _No match found."_

"Playground."

" _Match found."_

"Police station… Wait, what!?" Jumping to her feet, Sumire's numb legs stumbled from the unexpected use after killing their circulation for so long.

Finger hovering over the begin navigation button, Sumire took one last glance at the school, and the place where she saw Kasumi collapse. "I'll get you your help sis, I swear."

Mashing the button strongly, Sumire stood there as the dizzy sensation hit her again. Like entering Madarame's palace, the whole world shifted in front of her. Despite it only being early evening, the area where Sumire was standing was bathed in darkness. Looking nervously around her, Sumire felt like she could see things, figures, shifting in the total darkness.

Panting from fear, Sumire took a step toward the school. To where the building should be. A playground, Sumire guessed. Emerging from the pitch-dark alleyway, Sumire gaped at the building.

The ten-year-old inside her was screaming in pure, unadulterated joy. It looked _so_ fun. The playground had every imaginable toy and feature, stacked on top of each other in layers through what appeared to be a maze, or obstacle course of levels. Hiding more fun inside. All around the massive building, was one massive slide that wound its way from the pinnacle to the base floor just in front of her.

Taking a moment to examine the structure of the whole, Sumire finally realized that the entire place was fully illuminated. A singular light at the top seemed to cast light upon the building. The higher the floor, the brighter it would be. While the base floor wasn't dark per se, Sumire would call it dingy.

Turning around, the rest of the city, as far as Sumire could see, was pitch black. Staring at any of the shadows for too long and she could practically see them staring back. This playground appeared to be some sort of utopia, or maybe it would be more accurate to call it a bastion of safety. The one bright spot in an otherwise dark and cruel world.

"Wait… Is this… How the principal… Sees the world?" While it sounded right to Sumire, she couldn't help but think of how strange that was. She imagined that only someone small, someone like her, could fear the world so much. What did the principal have to be scared of?

Curiosity piqued, Sumire found herself walking forward. Reaching the slide that wrapped around the building, Sumire blanched as she took in the scale of the thing. It was easily over three metres in diameter. Sumire could stand on top of Kasumi's shoulders and still fit within the behemoth. With a new perspective on scale, Sumire trembled as she regarded the rest of the playground. "…It's huge." Every single aspect of the place would take forever to navigate, to the point where the pleasure of the experience would be muted by the distance needed to travel.

Already Sumire could imagine ball pits the size of swimming pools. Monkey bars a hundred metres long with a fall also scaled up to the point of being exceedingly dangerous. Everything fun about a playground, playhouse mix taken up to a level where the entertainment aspect was left behind.

"Hehe, are you here to play with me?"

"W-what?" Turning, Sumire stared in shock at a small child, at least they looked like one at first. A girl, Sumire thought, however the face so exceedingly generic it was hard to tell. Straight black hair in the traditional style and wearing… a shujin uniform.

"I said," the girl pouted, "are you going to play with me."

"I-I'm sorry," Sumire apologized, wincing at rejected the strange child, "I can't today."

"Ignore her," a boy interrupted approaching the girl. Wincing upon viewing him, Sumire was positive something was wrong with the two. The boy as well had nothing remarkable about his appearance to mention. The only difference being he was wearing a male uniform and his hair was shorter. "Let's go play, Female Student 2948."

"Alright, Male Student 3591. Goodbye stranger. Let's play sometime."

With that the two generic students took off toward the entrance. Veering off the side, they reached a smaller playground set in front of the giant entrance. Taking up sides on a seesaw, the two got on and began going up and down. Making no noises while doing it. Shivering from the strange sight, Sumire gasped as she caught sight of the next piece of equipment. There, on the swing set were two more children, both in male uniforms swinging peacefully. However, they were both identical to the one that Sumire had met.

"T-this is insane…" Turning around, Sumire ran back to where she had entered. Unheeding the swirling darkness, Sumire tossed herself at the location she had entered; praying it would work like last time.

Thankfully, the dizzy sensation hit her again, signifying a change of world. Laying on the ground, Sumire shivered, unable to stand. It was too much. Her trust in Senpai may have helped Sumire with some things, but this was too far. She wasn't a phantom thief. She knew nothing about what Senpai and his friends were doing.

Convincing herself that she had done enough, Sumire slowly pulled herself off the cold pavement. Dashing for the train station, Sumire passed, not heeding, a confused set of brown eyes, unsure of what they had just witnessed.


	6. Onslaught of Obligations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all,
> 
> Once again, thank you for the support and I hope you enjoy this chapter. Something I should point out from last chapter, the principal doesn't have a canon first name so I had to create one.
> 
> Next, I will be taking August off from writing in order to complete other tasks. I will hopefully be doing some outlining during this time as well. As such, there will be at least one more chapter this summer, maybe two if I am feeling ambitious. On that note though, I ended this chapter at a place I think makes sense, but it is a little shorter than some others. However, the next chapter will probably be quite long and take a while to write.
> 
> I think that's everything, so please, lean back and enjoy :)

Chapter 6: Onslaught of Obligations

_Wednesday May 18_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

The cramped apartment was pitch dark. The only source of light came from outside. The hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo never ceasing, even as the sun fell, leaving only the moon and stars, barely visible through a layer of smog, to light the night sky.

Standing at the balcony, Akechi tapped his fingers on the railing, a smirk twisting his lips. He kept this apartment as a show of humility. So that no one would question where a high schooler got enough money for a lavish home. Even as a 'detective prince' he wasn't formally paid for what he did. No, but he could get as much as he wanted from his 'benefactor'. Masayoshi Shido, even thinking the name soured Akechi's mood that had been so good before.

Things were falling into place. The Phansite had been useful for tracking down the Phantom thieves' next target: Madarame. While losing him could potentially hurt Shido, who received a portion of Madarame's counterfeit sales, Akechi wasn't willing to commit to a plan of action just yet. He had identified them, Shujin students and whatever that monstrous pat partner they had was. At this point, all Akechi could do was wait for feedback from Shido… and play with his new toy.

Thinking about the girl brought an excited smile to his face. Taking another quick look at his phone, it was only 9:17 pm. Two minutes had passed since his last check. Akechi had found exhilarating sport in talking to her. In facing her resolve to fix her situation that she had stumbled into. In teasing her as she slowly grew more desperate, her confidence in her abilities slowly eroding. It was intoxicating. Yet, for some reason Akechi couldn't comprehend, he found his crafted persona breaking down when did so. Her retaliations and grievances making him resort more and more to his brutal self.

He'd never had this before. A person that had pushed back at him. That made him want to challenge them again. See what new surprises see would have in store for him today.

Had she surpassed his expectations?

Had she solved her problem on her own?

Possibilities whirring through his mind, Akechi kept tapping as his final minutes of waiting ticked by.

* * *

_Thursday May 19_ _th_ _, 20XX Lunchtime_

"Umm, hello?" Knocking hesitantly on the nurse's room door, Sumire waited for an answering call.

"Ah, Yoshizawa-san, please, come in!"

"P-please excuse me." Pushing the door the rest of the way open, Sumire slid into the room, partially closing the door behind her. Once in the room, she shifted awkwardly, the singular man sitting before her was examining her carefully. Writhing under his gaze, Sumire didn't know where to look or what to say. She didn't even know why she was here.

When she got to school this morning, the office secretary had flagged her down and given her a note from the principal. All it stated was that she was now one of the people required to receive counseling.

' _In an effort to better mentally prepare you for the upcoming trials you will face in your extracurricular activities.'_

She didn't understand the change in attitude of the school. It was possible that the principal had genuinely thought this was a good idea to improve her results while competing. But… She just couldn't convince herself that he had actually written that line.

"Please, sit down," the doctor smiled warmly at her, waving to the empty chair.

"T-thank you." Walking around the blue unholstered piece of furniture, Sumire delicately place herself down on the edge of the seat. As she does, the surface sinks beneath her. Impressed by the softness, she is forced to move further back so that she doesn't slide off.

"Ah really," he insists, "get comfortable. There are snacks on the table, eat as many as you like."

"U-Umm, no thank you," Sumire denies, embarrassed, "Those all have a lot of sodium or sugar in them. They'd ruin my diet."

"Haha, you certainly are the diligent athlete, are you? Anyway, my name is Dr. Maruki, but please, call me whatever you like."

"S-Sooo…. Why do I have to come?" Working up the courage, Sumire found herself less intimidated of this stranger than she thought she would be. Part of it definitely has to do with his kind smile and gentle brown eyes. It's hard to not trust him. A bigger part, though, was her adventurers yesterday. After experiencing another world… It simply made this one less scary. Things here were familiar and made sense.

"Well," Maruki answered, looking a little awkward, "I personally believe that everyone should have access to a counsellor, or a therapist. The act of talking to someone that won't judge you, no matter what you say, can be extremely helpful."

"U-Umm… Alright?"

"B-But I suppose that doesn't mean anything to you at this point. The principal just thought that it would be good for some of the honor's students to talk to me. I wholeheartedly agree. After all, you're entering high school now, a whole new level of competition."

"I… I suppose," Sumire replied after a short pause. Despite Maruki's insistence, Sumire just still couldn't believe that the principal cared enough about her 'mental wellbeing' to request counselling for her. "Honestly… I'm starting to forward to it. I was in a bit of a slump before, but things are starting to get better."

"Oh?" Maruki queried, his eyes sparkling with interest. "And is there any reason for this change? Some… event, perhaps, that led to this?"

"W-Well," I stutter, unable to say the truth. Eyes shifting, I don't know what to say. "I-I had a growth spurt! I-It's just taken me some time to adjust to the new perspective! T-that's all."

"I see…" Maruki breathed, leaning back in his chair. His smile twisted somewhat, contentment filling his gaze. "Since you're in such a good state, how about some idle chatter?"

"Uhh…"

"For example, I recently got a large bag of apples from a friend. After awhile I got bored of just eating them straight up, so, I wanted to try and make something from them. Can you guess what I did?"

"Apple pie?" Sumire guessed, slightly exasperated. This confusing conversation was really the last thing she needed in her life right now. She had multiple issues to try and resolve without wondering about why the school councillor was pursuing her for chitchat.

"Ha! I tried to add them to pasta. You know how you can make it spicy? Well I thought the apples would make it sweet. You know, to change it up. It well… didn't go well."

The admission got a snort from Sumire. Lips stretching into smile, she shook her head slightly at the councillor. "Apples are quite versatile. They can be added to many dishes, or served on their own in many forms, as a main ingredient in pasta though… Probably a bad idea."

"Ahh… So, you like cooking then?"

"I… Yes, I suppose I do," Sumire realized, blinking as the thought hit her. It had never occurred to her before. It was simply something she did so that Kasumi and she would have the correct nutrients and balance in their meals. The only thing she could do correctly to help her sister out for all the effort Kasumi put into her.

Smile growing, Sumire nodded stronger this time. "Yes, I do like cooking. I think that's the first time I've ever said that…"

"Perhaps these sessions may be of some use then?" Maruki asked.

"…Yes," Sumire agreed nodding. "I'll uhh… try to make time to see you."

"I would appreciate that," Maruki smiled back, a knowing twinkle in his eyes. "Also… I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm currently in the midst of some research. There's another student that I'm bouncing ideas off of occasionally… but to have another perspective may help."

"You want my help for research?" Sumire asked disbelievingly. She struggled sometimes to keep up with high school material. Research though!? Like post-graduate school level material? "I-I'm not sure if I'm qualified…"

"Oh no!" Maruki assured her. "It's quite simple. You just act as an intermediary that I can bounce ideas off of. It requires no specialized learning, or jargon at all. I can add all that in at the end."

"A-All right… Umm, what is the research topic?" Sumire was forced to ask. Wondering exactly what she was getting roped into.

"Ahh, well you see. It focuses around pain and curing it. Specifically, wounds of the heart and soul. It is something we don't really focus on, complex to study, and even more complex to treat. Each person experiences and deals with pain in different ways. There is no way to create a general cure for this."

"I… I don't see how I can help with that…" Sumire stuttered, feeling overwhelmed. "B-besides, isn't that what you already do as a councillor? Help people get past the pain that medicine can't heal?"

"It's too narrow," Maruki denied, shaking his head as the first signs of anger Sumire had seen touched his mouth. "I'm searching for a way to help more people, maybe even those that don't realize they need help yet."

Shivering, Sumire couldn't keep the note of fear from her voice. "B-But, wouldn't that be like manipulating them? Changing their personality?"

"No!" Maruki reacted, shooting her down, "nothing so drastic, just taking their pain away. That's all. A… realization."

Sumire smiled slightly, thinking about how nice his words sounded. "No pain, huh? I wonder how much better my life would be…" _If I was more like Kasumi._

But the final words didn't come out. Sumire wondered if her life really would be better if she was more like her sister. Would they get along better, or worse? How much would have changed growing up?

"…Anyway," Maruki probed, clearly having something to say as he sat forward in his chair. "During this research, I was considering the possibility that there is a place, a place where a person's thoughts and desires are given physical form. …What do you think about that?"

"…" Blinking in confusion, the words sounded so strange. Sumire couldn't even comprehend them for a moment. Until her mind filtered out the extraneous details. _Another world. Person's desires._ Breathes coming faster, Sumire couldn't believe it. Was the world Maruki describing… the same one the phantom thieves used? To change hearts. "I'm afraid… I'm unable to help you. I need to be going now, I need to eat lunch before break ends."

Standing up, Sumire bowed deeply and fled the room before Maruki could say anything. Her bangs obscuring the satisfied smile on his face.

* * *

_Thursday May 19_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Standing on the overpass, Ren looked patiently over Shibuya crossing as he waited for the rest of the thieves to assemble. Yet, even as he stared at the crossing, his mind was somewhere else. Off in a completely different world, staring at an unsurpassable door. One, Morgana claimed, resided inside Madarame's house. A place Yusuke had barred them from entering. Well, everyone except Ann.

As much as Ren thought though, only one solution came to his mind. Ann wouldn't like it, but she didn't actually have to go through with Yusuke's demands. She just had to generate a situation where Madarame would view the open door. After that, she just needed to flee the house while feigning innocence. It was risky, but it was the only solution Ren could think of short of literally breaking into the house. Turning into an actual criminal was not something he fancied. Especially while trying to reform society for the better.

"Ugh, agh!"

Hearing a labored panting, Ren turned around. Running toward him was Ryuji, a wild look in his eye. Behind him was Ann, her face blanched with terror. Heart racing from what was obviously bad news, Ren jerked his shoulder to wake Morgana up who was napping in his bag.

"D-dude…" Ryuji panted as he arrived, leaning against the railing. Sliding to the ground, Ryuji pulled out his phone and handed it to Ren. "…Read… this."

Hand shaking from the fear the two have given him, Ren took the phone uncertainly. It was unlocked, open to a webpage. Bringing it closer, Ren recognized it as the phansite. While he tried to never go on the site, he saw it enough from Ryuji and Mishima.

There was a post selected on the screen, bringing it up so it was the only thing displayed. The username was listed Dancer2503. After that, it was the text that took Ren's attention.

_Dear Phantom Thieves,_

_As a follow-up to a previous request, I once again humbly beg of you to change the heart of Shujin Academy's Principal. He has been threatening and blackmailing students of the school to maintain his position. His keywords are as follows:_

_Kobayakawa Botan_

_Shujin Academy_

_Playground_

_Please,_ _ please  _ _listen. I cannot emphasize enough how little time there is left._

"Oh…" Ren was left speechless by the text. He didn't know what to say about it. It appeared that someone had discovered their method of changing hearts. Yet… they supported their actions?

"This is really bad…" Morgana groaned, reading over Ren's shoulder. "How does someone else know about the metaverse!?"

"We… were hoping you would know…" Ann panted, finally recovering some breath. "After all Morgana, you can travel back and forth right? Did you ever meet someone else while looking through palaces?"

"Uhh…" Muttering awkwardly, Morgana seemed unwilling to answer the question.

"Kamoshida's was your only palace, wasn't it?" Ren accused him. "You went in and got caught."

"W-well… I knew about mementos, right!?" Morgana replied, "A-and I mean… I can turn into a car! That's pretty cool."

"Dude," Ryuji sighed, "why can't you be more helpful?"

"Hey! I am helpful! You would have been expelled without me!"

"Yes yes!" Ren broke in. "Let's focus on this problem. Someone appears to have gotten the metanav and determined how we change hearts but are either unwilling, or unable to do it themselves. It sounds like an earnest request. I think we should look into it. See if it is legitimate."

"A second palace…" Ryuji sighed, sounding tired for once. "We still haven't even figured out what to do with that door in Madarame's palace. Do we seriously want to start infiltrating _another_ palace?"

"How can you be so heartless?" Ann shot back. "This confirms that the principal knew about Kamoshida and did nothing. Now he is blackmailing students, trying to cover up his deeds!"

"Morgana?" Ren asked, looking for an opinion that was usually presenting whether he wanted it or not.

"I… don't know." The cat admitted awkwardly. "To take on more than one palace…"

Nodding, Ren knew where he was coming from. The fatigue from the previous day's expedition still sat upon his body. With multiple palaces, on top of the mementos requests, they would have to spend almost every day in the metaverse. Each day doing so pushing them all harder, giving Ren no time to expand his bonds or improve his own abilities.

Yet… The sincerity, the urgency within the text. Ren couldn't help but feel like it was written to him, _for him_. "I… I want to check this palace out."

Looking up, Ren glanced at the three of them, judging their expressions and mood. He knew he had made an unreasonable request of them. Pushed more work onto their already busy lives. However… each of them nodded strongly back to him. Surprised, Ren smiled, touched by their mutual trust in him.

"We set out to change shitty adults, right?" Ryuji chirped with excitement, pulling himself to his feet. "Well, two is better than one in my book!"

"Definitely!" Ann nodded firmly. Her face set in that stubborn expression where Ren knew it would be impossible to change her mind. "No way am I going to a school every day where the principal is an asshole that abuses his students."

"Hehe, well. Double the targets, double the fame, double the access to mementos," Morgana added, trying to keep his cool aura going. "Let's head back to the… hey, isn't that the student council president?"

Sighing, Ren, faced where Morgana had pointed with his snout. Just as he said, Makoto was standing there, book held upside down obscuring half her face, yet she stood out all the more because of it. When she saw Ren looking, her cheeks flared, and she quickly departed. Shaking his head, Ren led them back to the school.

_Thursday May 19_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Sitting on the patio chair, Kasumi stirred her black coffee with a dull interest. She had ordered it simply because it was the only thing on the menu she could confidently consume while knowing what it was she was drinking. Even now, she couldn't lax her diet just because it was the off season. Summer would come quickly, and then every single day would be important.

_If I get that far._

Looking up, Kasumi glared at the uncooperative man sitting on the other side of the table. He looked far too smug sipping on his own cup of coffee. He sat, back perfectly straight in his chair, gazing imperiously at the passersby in Kichijoji. Huffing, Kasumi looked back down, continuing to stir her black coffee, contrasting perfectly with the white table. If Akechi wasn't going to speak, then neither was she.

"Well," Akechi finally spoke, "your report is incredibly disheartening. I would have thought you would have managed to at least bring _some_ students over to your side."

"Grr…" It certainly didn't help Kasumi's conscious knowing that Akechi was right. She should have been able to do more. She just didn't know _how._ All she ever did in life was dive headfirst at the problem. She didn't possess the subtlety or charisma required to make friends with high school students.

"Nonetheless, as my patron, I will attempt to aid you. Plus, you managed to follow my instructions during the interview quite well. Has it begun to traverse your school yet?"

"…Yes," Kasumi answered dully. "While the first interview managed to slip past their attention, everyone is giving me funny looks now. They can tell something is off about it, yet they are still unsure."

"Well, that's one good piece of news," Akechi murmured, talking to himself.

"I mean," Kasumi replied exasperated, "what's their alternative? Believe in the phantom thieves?"

"Yes." Akechi nodded strongly. "Which, I believe, is exactly what you feared would happen when they take down their next target."

"Why do you sound so certain they will?"

"The news isn't reporting on it, but I found an easy way to keep track of their activities."

"Which is?" Kasumi glared, wondering why the insufferable man had to make every single interaction more painful than it needed to be.

"Their very own website." Despite the anticlimactic answer, Akechi looked quite smug with himself. "There have been several smaller, less notable cases where a person has had one of these… 'change of hearts.' I've followed through on one of them and found the evidence to be convincing."

"W-what does that mean?" Curiosity piqued; Kasumi was still hesitant to ask. Akechi always seemed to feed on questions like this. Anytime where Kasumi made herself more vulnerable by revealing her ignorance.

Once again, Kasumi had to supress a groan as Akechi turned that playful smile toward her. "You should drink your coffee; it will go cold."

Eyes narrowing in confusion, Kasumi did as Akechi suggested. Already it was starting to lose much of its heat, making it far easier to drink.

"So, what do you think this means?"

Half expecting the question, Kasumi bit back quickly. "That you're a bad detective and were following up on people that were jumping on a new trend."

Kasumi's expectations were crushed as Akechi's smile didn't waver in the slightest. "That's only because you are a silly high school girl that can't objectively look at the facts.

"In this case, the person in question had been stalking his ex-girlfriend for over a month. Well before the phantom thieves posted their first calling card. Secondly, due to his admittance to this and apology, his work has him on probation, with a salary cut for now. He seems to be accepting these terms wholeheartedly.

"Now, if I was a detective, and thought that these people were 'jumping on a trend', I'd never be trusted for another case ever again, and rightfully so."

"Tch," comeback ruined, Kasumi tried to glare at Akechi without blushing. It was that condescending tone! Gritting her teeth, Kasumi tried to draw on anger as a balm for her embarrassment. Anything to stop him from just walking over her.

"So, what's your second bad guess?"

"…" Taking time to think it over, Kasumi drank some more coffee. The problem was that Akechi had a lot more information then her. Yet blurting out a half answer or a demand that he just tell her would lead to more teasing and those disappointed tsks. She wanted to beat this smug detective at his own game.

"Well?"

"Grr…" Growling at him again, Kasumi breathed deeply once and began talking. "It means that this guy wasn't important enough for publicly posting a calling card. The only ones the public will hear about and see are targets that the phantom thieves consider worthy."

"Not bad…" Akechi murmured, a slight note of defeat in his voice. Before Kasumi could rag on him for it, Akechi continued. "However, that is simply one possibility. It could be that their methods did not necessitate a calling card in this case."

"Their methods necessitate a calling card?" Kasumi bit back, "what kind of a joke is that? Calling cards just act as a warning, or a declaration of a crime."

"Ah," Akechi smiled, somehow stealing the upper hand back with just one syllable, "but they aren't committing a crime, are they? They are, 'stealing desires' to make people confess to their crimes. That is, in a sense, a purely cognitive change."

Preparing to snap back about how ridiculous the detective sounded, Kasumi held her silence. It made a certain amount of sense. An extremely small amount granted, but there was some. "Hey… have you ever heard of cognitive psience?"

"…"

Looking up from her cup, Kasumi tried to evaluate Akechi's reaction. His face was strangely still unmoving. Yet his eyes were dark, no emotion moving within them.

"…I have heard the name before," he eventually relents, "one of my associates works on a case involving it. I, however, know nothing about it, why bring it up?"

"O-Oh, no reason." Kasumi stutter as she utters the horrible lie. Their relationship is not one built on frivolities. Almost every line Akechi had spoken to Kasumi has been artificially synthesized. Premediated garbage meant to direct and manage the conversation without giving away anything unnecessary.

"…Time grows late, we need to wrap this up."

"Yes."

"Moving on to your predicament, I would estimate you have another week, maybe two, before the phantom thieves reveal their next big target. I expect it will be someone prominent. Their fame allowing them to commit crimes and cover them up with relative ease. Upon taking down someone like that, the phantom thieves will become the talk of japan. That's usually when reporters hunt for stories. While your peers may treat you strangely for now, nothing will change until these 'phantom thieves' that you have discredited return to claim it."

Sighing, Kasumi nodded her head in understanding. Akechi had helped quell her worst fears. Currently the students were simply unsure, none of them individually knowing enough to be sure if Kasumi had in fact started Kamoshida on his path to confession. Besides that though, she still felt the scythe hanging over her head. A deadline at which her newfound fame in the media would crash as she became a reviled figure. There was little chance of avoiding that without a confession from Kobayakawa.

"Oh, don't look so downtrodden," Akechi teased, "you haven't lost…"

_Yet._

The left off word ringing clearly through the space between them. Mustering the energy to shoot him one last glare, Kasumi downed the rest of her coffee. "Well, this has been fun, but unless you have anything helpful to say, I'll be off."

"Sit back down or the deal is off."

Hating ultimatums, Kasumi reluctantly returned to the chair. Again, she found herself powerless. This was the problem with asking people for help Kasumi was finding. The embarrassment from doing it was secondary behind the risk of displaying your vulnerability. The realization that asking someone for help may lead you into a more dangerous situation than the one you're trying to escape.

"Good girl. Now listen closely. This plan, if pulled off perfectly should be advantageous to both of us."

Leaning forward, Kasumi's jaw slowly dropped as she listened.

* * *

_Thursday May 19_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Holy shit…"

Joker could only nod in agreement with the rest of the phantom thieves to Skull's utterance. This… playground, he supposed it was, far surpassed the castle in scale. Despite both of them being distortions of the building, this playground felt… bloated.

As if each section had expanded too much. Flowing over its natural boundaries and sticking out into no man's land. The overall effect turned what should have been a place of ultimate fun into a grotesque abomination.

Walking over to the exit of the massive slide, Joker followed it with his eyes. Utilizing his enhanced senses from his persona ability, combined with Igor's gift, Joker tracked it all the way to its starting place at the very pinnacle of the school.

"Mona…" Joker prodded, "is this slide too steep for you to drive up?"

"Hmm… Yeah, I think so. Its also quite smooth, I wouldn't get much traction even if it was flat."

Discarding that possibility, Joker hopped into the slide. Trying to walk a little way in, he found it doable. Even as the slide began climbing, the slope wasn't too oppressive. His outfit had grips in the soles and gloves providing enough traction to climb.

Letting himself fall back down, Joker hopped back out to his companions confused gazes. "Well, we have an infiltration route… perhaps."

"You can't mean…" Panther breathed. "Do you really think…"

Glancing over them, Joker laid the facts straight out. "This slide cuts all the way to the deepest part of the palace. If this works, we could plan an infiltration route today and send the calling card tomorrow. No exhausting fights. However…" Taking a moment, Joker tried to estimate the distances again. "I'd say that the length of this slide is at least 3, maybe up to even 5, kilometres long. That's a _really_ long way to climb, even with our personas."

"Well, it will take longer if we sit here complaining about it!" Skull laughed, stretching his body. "Besides, it will be good training for my body."

"Men," Panther sighed, "I think you're right though Joker. Something about this palace doesn't sit right with me. I want to get in and out as soon as possible."

"Heh," Mona chuckled, "this will be easy for me."

"All right then, let's go." Turning around to lead the way, Joker found that Mona's confidence was not unfounded. His shorter stature and cat-like caws gave him great grip on the smooth plastic as he began to ascend the spiral circle.

Nodding that at least one of them would have an easy time, Joker began the endless, dark climb. He didn't know why, but Joker half expected the interior to be illuminated. Some passive ambient light by which they could see. That desire was quickly dashed, rising beyond the height of the entrance, the faint light from outside faded quickly, leaving them in total darkness. The shell of the slide let none through.

"Y-you know what," Ryuji said tentatively behind him, the sound echoing through the air multiple times. "This isn't anything like training. It's slippery and I can't effin see anything!"

"Calm down Skull!" Panther yelled back, causing another assault of sound on Joker's eardrums. "We… We will definitely get through this. I mean… we've come so far already."

"That's right," Joker assuaged their doubts. Even as he spoke though, he knew it wasn't true. They weren't even a tenth of the way up this behemoth yet. If there was any comfort though, it was that the way down would be short. "Just take one step at a time. Focus on my voice and keep following Mona and me."

"T-that's right Panther! Follow my example!" Mona shouted out. The brave content not enough to mask the tremble in his voice. It seemed that his catlike nature didn't give him dark vision strong enough to penetrate this.

Mentally preparing himself for the long slog ahead, Joker tried to keep up a series of pointless conversations. How school was going, new homework assignments they'd gotten. What they had thought about the midterms from last week. One by one though, each topic died quickly. Even asking Skull if there were any good-looking girls in his class that he had his eye on didn't work.

Morale and motivation were sinking fast. Each metre took concentration and effort. Muscles working overtime to maintain balance on the slippery slope. Joker felt like they'd been in this total darkness for an hour. Yet his internal clock told him it was more like twenty minutes. Assuming they were doing around three kilometres an hour, they still had at least forty minutes left. The circles of the slide were so big, Joker could barely register the curves and was therefore unable to use that to keep track.

Running out of ideas, Joker's mind latched onto to something that had been bugging him all day. "Did you guys watch that interview? Yoshizawa Kasumi's?"

"DUDE!" Skull exploded, like he'd just remembered, "that shit made me so mad! Should have been us up there answering questions!"

"Calm down," Panther sighed for the umpteenth time. "I thought the whole thing was very strange. She never once took credit for it."

"That's because people love humility." Mona explained. "Let other people play up your accomplishments for you. That's exactly what Madarame was doing at the exhibit."

"I don't know," Joker said, glad that a semi-natural conversation was flowing. "I'm with Panther on this one. The whole thing seems strange in first place. Like how they first found her."

"Exactly! Especially with her saying every time that she barely did anything." Panther agreed.

"Plus," Joker added on, the confidence provided to him in the metaverse freeing his tongue, "I've talked to Kasumi a couple times now. Actually, you were all there for the most important one, at the buffet. Pulling up his memory from that time, Joker had no issues doing so. Her words had left a sadness and fear in his heart that was still fading. "She was _terrified_ of the phantom thieves. Especially, that they would take her desires. Not in general, but _one._ Her dream of winning gymnastics on the world stage. The one she shares with her sister. I don't believe for a second that she believes her words that the phantom thieves didn't do anything."

A slight pause of silence followed after Joker finished his short speech. It probably totalled almost as many words as he spoke on an average day unless he was hanging out with someone.

"Hey… Umm… So, when we change Madarame's heart… What happens to her?"

Blinking in surprise, Joker frowned at Skull's words. The question which seemed so straightforward at first stumped him. Even as his body continued in its engrained climbing pattern, Joker couldn't crack it.

No, that wasn't quite right.

He didn't want to crack it.

For if he did… Joker could foresee any number of possibilities but none of them were good. It was as if Kasumi had been placed upon a pedestal that she knew would collapse. Based on her belief in the phantom thieves' existence, that must be the case. After all, she may as well have said as much during that lunch meeting with the…

_Principal._

Foot slipping on the slide. Joker skidded a metre backwards before he managed to catch himself. He could feel another presence right behind him. Panther, he thought, forced to stop due to Joker's ineptitude.

"A-are you alright?"

"Never mind that for now," Joker talked quickly, eager to get this thought off his mind. "You remember how Kasumi was with her whole family when we went to the Wilton buffet? Who else was there, the principal!"

"You think that the post requesting aid in dealing with the principal…" Mona muttered from ahead, "was about Kasumi?"

"I do," Joker confirmed. "When I start thinking about it, too many things line up. The principal was somehow able to get her the time slot, which Kasumi used to talk about how the phantom thieves don't exist."

"But why?" Skull blurted out, sounding frustrated. "I don't get any of this! Why would she agree to go on?"

"Blackmail," Panther shook her head in disgust. "The principal wants to sweep Kamoshida's incident under the rug by promoting an icon at the school. Turn it from an embarrassment into a story about success. The hero honor student that disposed of an evil teacher on her way to gymnastics fame."

"Exactly!" Joker crowed, ecstatic to hear viewpoints that supported his own conclusion. "The only loose end now is who exactly posted that comment with the keywords." But Joker already had a prime candidate for that as well. One that had shown up a few too many times. A girl that was personally invested in the outcome of this.

"So… Uhh, w-what would happen if we ignored the principal and focused on Madarame," Skull asked. Not connecting the dots as quickly as Panther evidently.

"Oh Skull," Mona sighed, "then the world would learn of the phantom thieves and that we are real. That would completely discredit Kasumi's claim."

"…And?"

"They'll tear her apart…" Joker whispered under his breath. The horror of those final days of school last year filling his head. He had been forced to change phone numbers before coming to Tokyo. He closed every single social media account as well. Almost every single classmate, previously friendly or indifferent had looked at him like he was scum. His profile filled with hateful messages; it read like a competition, each person trying to one-up the previous for the most insensitive messages. Joker knew now not to underestimate the psychological damage that messages on the internet could cause.

Joker wasn't sure if they heard his answer or not, but the mood dies anyway. Continuing the dark trip, Joker began to wonder if he had been naïve. This slide seemed like the perfect way to skip the whole palace and reach the treasure, but doubts began to creep into his mind. He didn't know if they were brought on by the oppressive darkness, or maybe the conversation that reminded Joker of the consequences of their actions, or lack thereof.

"How much further…"

Joker had no answer for Panther's question. All he could do was continue moving. The power his persona provided was the only force that kept him moving forward. Even with it, his muscles hurt. He half imagined that the physical labour was draining his stamina while the mental assault of the darkness was draining his mind.

"Isn't there the possibility this slide doesn't end?" Skull spoke, fear tainting his voice.

"!?"

"I mean… this is all cognition, right? What if it's like Madarame's unopenable door? This is an unclimbable slide?"

"You… You may be right…" Mona moaned, the distress starting to get to him as well.

"…Let's all calm down." Joker tried to soothe them, "we don't know that for sure. I'm confident that we've been turning, so we seem to be going somewhere. Let's keep going for a little bit more. If we don't find anything soon, we can turn around."

Reminding them that if they stopped now, this would all be for nothing calmed them a little. However, the mood was still dim. Climbing an endless slide was probably one of the last things that they thought they would be doing today.

Looking forward, Ren kept climbing, searching for any indication within the inky depths. Wondering if there would any sign to tell them that something was changing. While on autopilot, Ren felt himself slip slightly, his course bringing him into the steeper walls of the slide. Puzzled, he began climbing faster, running a careful hand against the wall. Elation rising, Joker picked up the pace even more, scrambling desperately for purchase to propel himself further along.

"Hey Joker!"

Mona called out as Joker barrelled past him. Not heeding his teammate's call, Joker's patience was rewarded. There, shining above him like a beacon, was the smallest shaft of light. Diluted into nothing from multiple reflections, it couldn't even be called light. Yet, when compared to the zero-photon environment they found themselves in, it glowed like the sun to Joker.

"We're here…" His soft murmur echoed down to his teammates, struggling to catch up. Not waiting for them, Joker kept climbing. Each step bringing him closer and closer to the light source. The faint reflection in the darkness grew until the wall of the slide became visible once again. At this point, Joker finally stopped.

"We made it…"

"God damn that took forever…"

"Oh no…"

Staying silent, Joker's heart plunged as he observed their final obstacle. For around the final corner, lay the steepest part of the slide. An initial hill to speed the occupant up for the rest of their journey down. Now it became an unsurmountable mountain when trying to climb.

Not ready to give up at the end of their destination, Joker attempted an assault. Boots flexed for maximum grip, he tried to push off, his boots squeaking as they slipped against the surface, the friction insufficient to bear his weight.

"Damn it!" Skull swore. "Right when we can see the top too!"

"The top…" Muttering, Joker followed Skull's gaze to the brightly illuminated section they could see. While the hill was steep… Idea surging, Joker brought forth his grappling hook and shot it toward the lip of the tunnel at the top of the hill. The target he aimed for was miniscule. The gap between two sections of plastic. Wider than usual due to the change in angle, it created a potential. A possibility that his prongs could find purchase and stop its descent.

Watching with bated breath, the hook shot toward the gap, full of momentum. Unerring it flew. Smirking at his perfect aim, Joker watched it hit the space, and fall.

"No way!"

"…" Smirk fading, Joker awkwardly pressed the retract button to bring back the hook which had fallen to the raised ground. A sudden force jerked his hand forward. Unable to resist it, he stumbled, releasing the retract button in the process. As he did, the force stopped. "I see…"

Waving goodbye to his teammates, Joker pressed the button and allowed himself to get pulled up the steep slope.

"Whoa!?"

"Joker!?"

Arriving at the top, Joker turned his momentum into a flip before landing upon the plastic surface once more. It was almost completely flat here. A starting section before the slide proper began. Tsking at his idiocy, Joker couldn't believe that he had missed the easy solution that he'd discovered completely by accident. That space on the roof was mirrored on the bottom. Simply by dragging the hook back across it, the prongs were destined to fall in and provide a far more secure anchor point than the roof could have ever provided.

"Here, bring yourselves up." Throwing the handle back down, Joker watched the thread spool out behind it as the hook remained secured in the floor.

Assuming they'd be able to operate the device, Joker went and explored the final thirty metres of the tunnel. The bright red tube was completely illuminated now. A brilliant source of light from the exit prevented him from seeing anything past it. Walking slowly, it came to Joker that he was completely exposed right now. If anyone was in that room or happened to glance down the slide, they'd see him. Unfortunately, he had no way of changing that.

Keeping his footsteps silent, Joker threw back a quiet sign to Mona who had come up second and hoped that he would pass it on to the other two. With nothing left to do but risk it, Joker approached the exit. There were a couple of strange deviations in the floor. Holes on each side that pointed out toward the slide. Pausing to run his hand over them, Joker dismissed them as aesthetics. Handholds maybe.

_So why are they so deep?_

Without the time to think over it, Joker turned to the room beyond. Having reached the exit, the blinding light was no longer consuming Joker's entire vision. The room beyond was pure white, the walls and floor were literally glowing. Emitting a white light that made the room hard to even look at it. Looking to the left, Joker saw a staircase rising to a closed set of double doors. His senses told him that was it. The final room of this playground. Though why the end looked more like a church, Joker didn't understand.

Taking one final glance behind him, Joker was glad to see that the three of them had made it up and were catching up to him. Before they did, Joker hopped down to the white floor, holding a hand in front of his eyes to block out the brighter light emitting from the chandelier in the ceiling. That would have been the light that guided him up those final hundred metres.

"You shouldn't be here."

Jumping in shock, Joker hadn't noticed anyone entering the room while he examined the room. Strangely enough, it was a voice he recognized, but never one he expected to hear.

The student council president.

She was standing there in her tidy Shujin uniform, hips cocked with a disapproving glare in her red eyes. It would have been far more intimidating if she wasn't four feet tall and looked like she was twelve.

Stunned into silence by the girl, that must have been a cognition of Kabayakawa's, Joker couldn't reply. It was just too bizarre seeing the imperious, extremely serious student council president… as a little girl.

"You actually climbed the funnel of rejection?" The girl spoke again, her voice tinging with a hint of awe. "I'm not sure if you are brave or stupid. Either way, slide back down it now before I make you."

"Wow! Look guys! It's a mini-prez!"

In typical Skull fashion, he bounded down from the slide and interrupted the conversation, voice filling with awe as he stared at the miniature version.

"Seriously…" Panther breathed. "She is way too cute for such a bitch in the real world."

"Stop this inane chatter at once!" The president exploded, keeping her adult speech patterns despite the change in size. "If you don't leave…"

"I thought I told you, I wasn't to be disturbed…"

As the deep-booming voice filtered through the room, Joker found it only slightly recognizable. A distortion from what it should have been. Glancing at the prez, Joker was shocked to see that she had thrown herself on all fours, prostrating toward the double doors at the top of the stairs. Her body was shivering, though from excitement or fear he couldn't tell.

"…Well. Now who do we have here?"

"Kobayakawa!?" Screaming in quadruple yells of surprise, the phantom thieves looked on as their principal appeared on the top of the stairs. No, not the principal, his shadow. While his body was the same, his aura had changed entirely, along with his wardrobe. The expensive suit gave off a 'cool' vibe, or maybe 'popular' was more accurate. Joker couldn't help but wonder if this wasn't how the principal saw himself, but more about how he wanted to be seen.

"Hmm… So, some peasants have scurried their way to the top of my domain. President! Dispose of them immediately. Lowly heathens such as them should be on the ground floor being bullied by others. Not up here, deciding the daily punishments."

"W-What the hell?" There was too much information in the few lines for Joker. Each word opened multiple questions with only shadowy hints for answers.

"Of course, high ruler!" As the president sprang to her feet, Joker tensed, expecting an attack. However, she dashed the other way, touching a wall panel that slid aside revealing instrumentation.

A slight click was all the warning Joker had before a giant red rubber ball swung down from the ceiling. Catching all four of them in one fell swoop, Joker twisted his airborne body to land on his feet. Skidding across the plastic slide, he shook his head to clear the dizziness from the impact. He could feel his body moving slower form the damage that it had taken.

" _Kaching!"_

With a rattling sound, Joker pursed his lips at the grate which now barred the exit to the slide. Walking to the bars he glared at the small president. Kobayakawa had already left, entering back inside his room.

"Why are you doing this?" Despite knowing that it was pointless to argue with a cognitive being, Joker felt compelled. It was so strange to see her being so submissive when she appeared so strong at school.

"I… I am sorry," the girl muttered. "But the high ruler is too strong. He beats up anyone who tries to compete with him. If I don't listen to him, I'll get exiled to the shadow realm outside…" Pausing, the girl shivered, red eyes shaking in pure terror. "There can only be one king of the playground. Goodbye."

Leaving it there, the girl appeared to do something. A second later, a hissing sound emerged from the two holes in the slide that Joker had noticed earlier.

"I have a bad feeling about this!"

Agreeing mentally with Skull's assumption, Joker was powerless to do anything as twin torrents of water shot from the holes, washing the thieves down the slide in a mighty deluge.

The following minutes were a trial in absolute terror with moments of exhilaration. Screams of terror were quickly turned into gargles as their heads dipped under the raging torrent. The long hour of effort it took to get up was literally washed away in barely more than the two minutes it took them to reach the entrance.

Crashing across the pavement, Joker pushed himself to his feet with shaky arms. His breaths came ragged from terror and exertion. Looking at his outfit, he was glad to see that at least it was drying quickly. The water wouldn't inhibit any of his actions.

"That… sucked."

"My fur is all wet…"

"Damn it, dude! We were right there and got our asses kicked!"

Running a hand through his hair, Joker called it. "Let's call it a day for now. I have something to do tomorrow, but the day after, we'll have to meet up and have a discussion about what we're doing."

Each one of them, nodded in agreement as they stood up slowly as well. Joker cast one more glare at the top of the playground. That illuminated room lit up the top half of the building. The invasion route had been so obvious, so straightforward, no wonder it hadn't worked. Consigning himself to a hard slog, Joker turned and strolled toward the exit point. Located a little way into what cognitive Makoto had called the 'shadow realm'. A region of pure darkness and shifting figures that Joker assumed stretched the entire area. It made a chilling sense to Joker. The Principal knew how powerless he was outside of the school. That's why he saw it as both his playground and a place of safety.

* * *

_Friday May 20_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Sumire felt listless as she grabbed her effects from her locker. Today had been a bad day. Kasumi had looked so angry in the morning, so helpless. Regardless, Kasumi had assured Sumire that she would be using her practice day. That left Sumire with no formal training for the day. Thinking about doing her stretches, maybe in a park somewhere, Sumire felt no excitement from the idea.

She had spent almost every waking moment wondering, waiting, praying that Senpai had gotten her message. Debating if she should beg him in person, reveal the knowledge her stalking had generated. The feeling was horrible. Not knowing what she should do, what the consequences of her actions would be.

If there was one positive from this all, Sumire had realized something. That her sister was more important to her than anything else. Even beyond their shared goal of reaching the world stage in gymnastics. Sumire wondered if this was how Kasumi felt, watching Sumire fall apart. Praying for her to get better, but not knowing what else to do except stay by her side. Knowing that without her… gymnastics just wouldn't be the same.

Sighing heavily, Sumire began her dejected walk out of the school. Head pointed to the ground; she could hear the whispers of the nearby students. They had connected her relationship with Kasumi, the talk of the school. Not for the reasons Sumire had expected her to be. No, every student was debating the validity of her claims. Weighing whether Kasumi was their saviour from Kamoshida… or a con.

Pace picking up, Sumire wove between them faster. Motivation to work out fading even faster, all Sumire wanted to do was go home. Maybe snuggle up on the couch with Kasumi and eat ice cream.

_A luxury I don't deserve._

Feeling the darkness beginning to surround her again, Sumire fell further inside herself. Head bowing til she could only see shoes, Sumire strolled on, completely on autopilot. Her last motivation to work out faded completely. She'd return home and… sit around. Maybe stare at her notes and pretend to study. Go to bed early and lament her powerlessness. What else was there at this point?

"Huh?" Feeling a touch on her arm, Sumire stopped. No panic came, the touch hadn't been possessive or rough, just a notification of someone's presence.

"Are you alright?"

Body shaking, Sumire's head finally snapped up. Eyes wide, Sumire felt her cheeks heat up as the dark cloud around her began to part. "Senpai…" Murmuring, Sumire wondered why she had been so desolate before. As long as Senpai was on the case, she had nothing to worry about. He would save Kasumi for her. He could do it with his powers.

"Can I talk to you? …If you're free."

"O-Of course…" Sumire stuttered, happiness swelling in her breast. "I, uhh, I need to talk to you as well."

He nodded calmly back before jerking his head to lead the way.

Following behind him, Sumire stayed close. If he stopped or changed his path, Sumire would run into him. But for now, they walked the straight path to the station. Based on their close proximity, Sumire could feel the glances from the other students. The whispers as they gossiped.

Unlike before, Sumire kept her head up. Staring at Senpai's side profile, the others seemed unimportant. Their words didn't matter. Only Senpai and…

_Did his bag just move!?_

Stuttering a half step, Sumire stared at it, wondering if she had imagined it. Or maybe he jerked his shoulder and…

_There it goes again!_

"U-Umm… S-Senpai… Is there… something in your bag?"

"Yes," he answered bluntly, voice quiet enough so only Sumire could here. "I bring my cat to school. It sleeps in my desk during classes."

"O-Ohh…"

"I am not a cat!"

"E-EHH!?" Squealing, Sumire stopped walking at the muffled voice. She was positive it had come from Senpai's bag. Where he said his cat was.

"I was going to wait until we got to the diner but…" Senpai muttered, turning around to stare at Sumire.

With just those words, all thoughts of talking cats or imminent fallouts were driven from Sumire's mind. "A d-diner!? Y-you like on a d-date!?"

"…Uhh, n-no," Senpai answered uncertainly, retreating a half-step under Sumire's wondering gaze. "J-just to talk."

"O-Ohh…"

"Let's just talk over there." Leading them about ten metres down a nearby alleyway, Senpai stops and stares at Sumire. Taking a glance back to the main street, she could pretty easily deduce why he had stopped here. It was before a corner meaning that this was the last place where people on the street would be able to see her.

"Can we… go around the corner?" Sumire asked, trusting Senpai. "I don't want students staring at us.

"Alright." Going around first, he pulled off his bag and set it on the ground, unzipping it.

From within, a black head peeked out. All of the previous moews she'd heard came back to Sumire. It seemed obvious now that Senpai was walking around with a cat in his bag. She felt stupid only figuring it out now. More importantly though…

"Why'd you tell her about me Ren?"

"I-It… talked?" Murmuring, Sumire didn't know what to think. She simply stared at the strange cat in wonder.

"W-What? She can understand me!?"

"Of course," Senpai nodded, as if not surprised by the revelation. "Sumire… You followed us on Monday, didn't you? You saw Madarame's art museum."

"Y-Yes," Sumire admitted bowing her head. Leaving it there, she wondered what he was going to do to her. The possibilities were practically endless. What couldn't a person who could travel between worlds do?

"I see… That was dangerous, you could have been killed, especially without a persona."

"A Per… Perso… What?"

"Pe. Ru. So. Na. It's the power we use to change hearts."

"O-Oh… I guess I don't have that, huh?"

"Anyone can awaken to it. But it is only possible within that other world. Doing so is dangerous. I don't want you getting hurt."

"T-Thank you Senpai. U-Umm… Why can your cat talk?"

"I am not a cat!"

Sighing, Senpai explained. "Morgana only resembles a cat in this world. You should have seen him in the other world where he is…"

"Oh! Your cute cat turns into that monster thing?"

"M-Monster!?"

"Yeah, basically." Senpai nodded in confirmation. "So now that we both know everything… Are you the one that posted the request to change the principal's heart?"

"W-Well…"

"You did for Kasumi, didn't you?"

"…Yes," Sumire sighed, admitting to the claim. Leaning against the wall, Sumire fell into a sitting position on the dirty ground. She knew that she'd probably have to wash her uniform but that was secondary in her mind. Being forced to admit everything to Senpai would be… Extremely awkward.

"Do you want to go to that diner?" Senpai chuckled. "I've heard that the booths are more comfortable than the hard ground."

Sumire found herself shaking her head. She didn't want other people around. Prying ears and curious gazes would be there. Here though, Sumire felt safe. It was only Senpai.

"Alright then… Hey, Morgana, would you be willing to go keep an eye out for people?"

"…Yeah, whatever." The cat growled before stalking off.

Chuckling lightly, Sumire was surprised by how easy it was to determine the cat's emotions. There was something strangely human about it. …Or she was going crazy. Both were possible when talking cats were thrown in the mix.

"Huh?" Muttering, Sumire tracked Senpai as he walked around her and slowly slid to the ground as well. Glancing over at him, Sumire quickly snapped her head to front and blushed. Their shoulders were close enough that Sumire lean over and brush their arms together.

"Well?" Senpai pressed, forcing Sumire back into the topic at hand. "What happened? We went to Kobayakawa's world yesterday… But we didn't learn a whole lot."

"I… I guess it all started back in that fancy buffet. You know, the time when you served me some dessert?"

"Of course."

Flushing with excitement that he remembered the moment as well, Sumire continued. "Kobayakawa invited my family out to lunch. During the meal, he told us that unless one of us went on television and took the focus away from the phantom thieves, he would strip our honor's student status. If it was just that… I'm not sure if either of us would have done it. But…"

"He threatened you."

"They were vague," Sumire explained, "but I think we all felt it. Kobayakawa has someone behind him. Kamoshida has remained silent this whole time as well. With no way out…"

"Kasumi took the fall…"

"Yeah," Sumire replied, curling further inside herself. "That same day was when I learned that you were the phantom thieves."

"How?" Senpai asked, voice serious. "This is important. We can't have the wrong person discovering us."

"W-well… I was hiding behind the pillar…"

"Urgh, do you really have to be so good at hiding? How did we not notice?"

"You guys were pretty focused on the conversation." Sumire chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true." He admitted, chuckling as well. "So, you must have the metaverse app now, yeah?"

"Huh? The navigation thing? Yeah, I have it."

Senpai nodded, his face still straight giving no emotion away. "What about Kasumi? What have you told her about all of this?"

"I'm… I'm hiding it from her," Sumire flushed. "I just don't know how to broach it to her, you know? I feel like once she knew it was possible, she may rush into Kobayakawa's world and try to change his heart herself."

"I almost believe she could do it…"

"Do you umm… Like Kasumi, Senpai?"

Staring at Senpai in expectation, Sumire couldn't help but ask. His eyes had sparkled when he talked about her. It was the logical conclusion to Sumire.

"Umm… Well, I admire her tenacity. She's very honest, straightforward and seems very intelligent. She reached conclusions I hadn't even thought of… However, I don't really know her."

"I see…" Sumire muttered thinking over the answer. "So… You would… Like to get to know her better?"

"Well it's not like I'd be opposed…"

"Hmm…" Trailing off, Sumire wondered what she was doing. Why was she trying to put the two of them together? "If you help her out of this situation with the principal, I'm sure she'd be really grateful."

"I guess?"

"Could be a good opportunity to get to know her better…"

"…" Staying silent, Sumire watched Senpai, waiting for his reply. "You know, I once thought that she'd make a good phantom thief."

"I'm sure she would be…" Sumire replied hesitantly. "I'm guessing… I wouldn't?"

"I didn't say that," Senpai shook his head at Sumire. "I also didn't say I would try and recruit Kasumi. What we do is dangerous. Too dangerous to bring in random people."

"…In the end, I guess I am just a random person to you, huh?" Mumbling, Sumire wasn't sure why she thought it would be any different. Why would they trust her with anything. Kasumi was the bold one. Kasumi was the one they should want. Sumire was the bystander, as usual.

"Sumire… You aren't a random person to me. I'm trusting you with this information."

"B-But then!" Stuttering, Sumire's brain couldn't keep up with the inconsistences. First having Senpai begin to tell her things, then saying that he didn't want her, and now ending it with how he trusted her. "Why won't you let me join!?"

"I told you, it is too dangerous!"

"Which means," Sumire spoke strongly standing up to look down at Senpai, "that you are out there… day after day, risking your life to help people that don't even believe in you!"

"…Yes," he answers simply, meeting Sumire's gaze. As she gazed at him, Sumire began to see the cracks in his calm mask. The worried creases lining his face. The indecision and fear in his eyes.

"Then please! Tell me what I can do to help you, anything! Just… Help Kasumi… Please." Falling to her knees in front of him, Sumire grabbed at his hands, desperate for any sign, any contact to confirm his will. His promise to help her.

Letting Sumire hold his hand, Senpai reached out his other hand to rub her head. "I will do what I can. As for you… You can look for more hearts that need to be changed I suppose."

"A-All ri…" Courage and anger rising, Sumire cut off her words and glared at Senpai, tears rising in her eyes. "Why don't you believe in me!? Let me protect you! I don't want to lose you…"

"I-I understand… But without a persona…"

"Then I'll get one!" Sumire yelled. "I will."

"It… It isn't that easy…" He replied awkwardly, his black eyes shifting away, unable to meet Sumire's penetrating gaze. "It requires you to face your weakness. To accept your powerlessness to change things on your own and reach out to the power. Every one of us were about to die when we awakened.

"Please Sumire, I don't want to lose you either. Just… believe in us, alright? I swear I will do what I can to help Kasumi."

"…All right. We have a deal then, yes?"

"We do."

With those words, Sumire felt something stir within her. As if the contract between them was something more solid than a promise she had tried to extract. "Thank you Senpai…" Breathing the words, Sumire collapsed forward, resting her head on his chest. She knew it was inappropriate. She was embarrassed even as she did it. Yet his presence was so warm, so comforting. The shaking in her body slowly faded.

_I'm sorry Senpai. I won't let you risk your life for me._

Apologizing to the boy, Sumire found her heart at rest. She knew what she had to do. Now, it was time to see if she was able to complete it.


	7. Out of the Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!
> 
> I believe I mentioned last chapter that this would be my last one until September. Currently I'm on pace to release one more, so I'd like to do that before I take my break.
> 
> On the contents of this chapter though... I took some, uh... artistic liberties based on how much has been changed versus the canon timeline. Hopefully none of the changes I've made upset you too greatly. At the end of the chapter I've included a brief rational on why I thought these changes were necessary.
> 
> Once again, thanks for the support and the kind words in the reviews.
> 
> -asdf

Chapter 7: Out of the Shadow

_Friday May 20_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Still nothing…"

Looking at his phone, Yusuke found his heart wavering with uncertainty. Every day without a message from Ann only worsened his anxiety. He _needed_ her to do this for him. She was the guiding light that would purify the darkness that he had found clouding his heart.

Even now, he could scarcely believe the words he had said to her friends. How he had threatened to call the police on them if Ann didn't model for him.

"I had no choice…"

Muttering to himself, Yusuke collapsed on the train bench, looking at his lap as it took him away, but to that small studio in which he spent his days. The long rides followed by walks that it took to travel to school and back wore on him. Each day was listless and gray, the platitudes of school life offering him no comfort from the chill of his life.

Even as those boys had offered him a way out, Yusuke just couldn't see it. He'd heard the stories. He knew what happened to people that crossed Madarame. How easily he crushed their voices and stole every shred of credibility.

"Yet he took me in after my mother…" Shaking his head, Yusuke couldn't overcome that pain in his heart. The thought of betraying the man who was his only father figure was too much. "Please Ann… Rescue me from this blurry landscape. Restore my ability to see clearly… To see the truth."

Cutting off the muttering as people began to stare, Yusuke suffered the rest of the trip in silence.

* * *

_Friday May 20_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

"We really doing this at night?" Ryuji asked, shifting on the overpass. "My mother's eating supper all alone now."

Usually it would be hard not to tease someone for that, but Ren only nodded in acceptance. He knew how important Ryuji's mom was to him. How responsible Ryuji felt for her well-being. "Sorry about this, but we have urgent news for you."

"Damn right we do," Morgana growled from Ren's bag. "We need to discuss this now so that we know what we're doing tomorrow."

"Sounds serious," Ann noted just showing up. "You were going to talk to the person you suspected of posting the keywords, right?"

"Yeah," Ren agreed as Ann created the perfect segue into the conversation for him. "I found them alright. It was who I suspected, Yoshizawa Sumire."

"Yoshizawa…" Ann muttered. "Isn't she one of the honor's students?"

"Hell yeah she is," Ryuji jumped up in agreement. "Her sister is the one we talked to at the buffet."

"This is going to take all night with all these interruptions," Morgana moaned.

Ren smiled, not agreeing nor disagreeing. It was simply nice to see everyone getting along well enough to share their opinions and thoughts without worry. "Anyway yes, her. She overheard us at the buffet and then followed us to Madarame's place one day. While there we dragged her into the metaverse."

"That already happened to me and we still made the mistake?" Ann sighed disparagingly. "We really need to do a better job of looking out for people."

"But dude," Ryuji commented frowning. "She must have been like… ten metres away from us. How did we pull her?"

Ren took a moment to consider the question. Ryuji's point was valid. They often had people closer than that when they slipped into mementos. "Maybe… It's because I know her?"

"Could be," Morgana sighed. "Either way, Lady Ann is right. We need to check our surroundings more carefully. Can never be too sure if anyone is watching."

"Like the student council president," Ann chuckled harshly, rolling her eyes at the same time. "Bitch always seems to pop up. Probably knew about Kamoshida as well…"

"T-That's a little harsh, don't you think?" Ren asked nervously.

"Urgh, maybe a bit… So, where were we? Being careful, check. What else?"

"Oh, wait!" Ryuji broke in, voice pitched high with excitement. His eyes sparkling with wonder. "Is she joining us!? You recruited another team member!?"

"Of course not," Ren scolded him, his words reminding him too much of Sumire's own pleas that still ate at his heart. "Getting a person to awaken is too risky. What we do is too dangerous. I'm not letting an outsider risk their lives."

"…"

Into the silence following his words, Ren tried to settle the turbulent emotions flowing through him. He was simply wound too tight right now. He needed a nice long sleep to recover from that conversation.

_Her eyes._

Shaking his head to dislodge the memory, Ren forced himself to return to the present. He couldn't take the time to dwell on how determined her visage had been. How the tears in her eyes sparkled like rubies, reflecting her crimson irises. Yes, thinking at all about how cute she looked when she pouted, or the warmth she gave off when their shoulders were almost touching would be very bad.

"…Ren?"

"Y-Yes, anyway. She is begging us to change the principal's heart in order to save her sister. In short, Kasumi was blackmailed into giving public appearances to discredit the phantom thieves. Therefore, when we change Madarame's heart, there will probably be a reckoning for her. Before that then, we need to change the principal's heart."

"I'm telling ya," Ryuji sighed, "let's just forget the artist dweeb. No one effing cares about art anyway, they just want to sound sophisticated."

"Ryuji! Yusuke is suffering!"

"Shouldn't have been an asshole then," Ryuji shrugged, trying to come off as nonchalant despite the faint blush of guilt.

Morgana sighed deeply, shaking his head. "It's alright Lady Ann. _Some of us_ , understand."

"Shut up cat."

"I am not a cat!"

"Calm down!" Ren ordered, rubbing his head against the oncoming headache. "There's another problem I've recently considered. Changing Kobayakawa's heart, especially as our second big target, paints a huge target on us. We may as well declare that we're students of the school."

"Shit!"

"Ryuji!"

"…Sorry, I just feel so god damned trap! We just formed our group, and nothing is going right."

"You have a point…" Ann muttered. "I am _not_ modelling nude."

"What is this defeatist attitude?" Morgana scoffed down at them. "Giving up on your lofty dreams, and for what? A couple of mild setbacks? We have this."

"I agree," Ren nods strongly taking over from Morgana. "Tomorrow, it's back into the playground. I want to make a start on the palace to try to figure it out a bit. Get to the bottom of what's causing the distortion there. Kamoshida's was straightforward, even Madarame's in a sense. Yet with that place… I'm not too sure yet.

"Sunday then, we get past that door. Ann, we came up with a plan. It will require you to get inside the house with Morgana and stall Yusuke until Morgana gets the door open."

"W-Wait, you want me to strip!?"

"No." Ren told her flat out as the other boys began leering. "That would be bad since you may have to make a quick exit. You need to get Madarame to see the inside of that door. Chances are Yusuke doesn't know what's in there either, so getting him in will probably give you more time."

"I-I see… Can you really pick the lock Morgana?"

"On my life Lady Ann!"

"You bet it is!" She growled back, pointing a menacing finger at the cat. "If I lose even one scrap of dignity from this, its coming from your head!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!"

"Damn, Ann, guess you can whip guys in and out of the metaverse!"

"…Do you want to die?"

Chuckling at the theatrics, Ren tried to think of anything that he may have missed. They hadn't really addressed the issue of them changing the principal's heart. But maybe it was because they all knew it didn't matter. Even if the world discovered them, it would be worth it. The people they had helped would be worth it.

"So, we all set for tomorrow?"

"You bet!" Three voices answered happily back.

* * *

_Friday May 20_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Kasumi tapped her desk with quick irritated motions. Each one created a small, sharp rap on the wooden surface. Her homework sat in a small, neat pile beside her. With it, Kasumi had completed everything for the week, including what they would be working on tomorrow.

Rather then being excited at the prospect of being finished, Kasumi felt listless. The homework had been a wonderful distraction from the thoughts swirling inside her head. Now, her vision was pulled every few seconds to the phone sitting on the corner of her desk. The urge to use it for more research on this 'cognitive psience' battled with her fear of it. An apprehension of this whole changing hearts things that somehow Akechi seems to know about as well.

"Kasumi?"

"Hmm?" Looking toward the door, Kasumi was surprised to hear her sister's voice. Kasumi had figured that Sumire would spend the night doing homework as well. Kasumi couldn't help but notice that Sumire had been putting it off recently.

"Do you have a minute?"

"Of course, I'm not doing anything."

The door opens as Sumire slowly treads in. Compared to the last time she entered Kasumi's room, Sumire strode in slightly more confidently. Sitting on the bed's edge without being invited.

"So, what is it?" Kasumi asked with a small, slightly forced smile.

"Well… I was wondering how you were doing…"

"How I'm doing?" Kasumi responded, breaking into a full smile. It was so strange how different this scenario was compared to even a couple months ago. Yet nowadays it was Sumire trying to take care of her. Re-evaluating, Kasumi realized maybe it wasn't too strange for Sumire to come check-up on her.

"Y-Yes… I swear Kasumi… I will get you help. I won't let the principal use you this way!"

"E-Eh?" Stuttering under the force of her sister's words, Kasumi was taken aback by the determination shining in her bright eyes. Once again, Kasumi couldn't help but feel a mild jealously and awe rise inside her. Sumire is so pretty, so much better than her. A few seconds later, those feelings left, and contentment rose within Kasumi. If one of them had to take the hit, Kasumi was glad it was her. "Don't worry about me Sumire. What will happen, will happen."

"H-How can you say that!?" She squeaks back, moving closer until Sumire was almost on top of Kasumi. "I-I am going to save you! I will!"

"You are?" Kasumi asks dumbfounded. "What are you talking about? I already… Never mind. Just… don't do anything stupid."

"W-W-Well… I-I umm…" With Sumire's face going scarlet, Kasumi stared at her sister in confusion. "W-What we're you going to say? You already…?"

"Nothing," Kasumi insisted weakly, on the backfoot as her sister's face hovered a foot above her head. "I mean…"

"Yes?" Sumire pressed.

"I kind of… Well… Hired a detective…" Kasumi admitted blushing. For some reason she found herself extremely hesitant to tell her sister about Akechi. The last thing she wanted was the two of them meeting.

"A… Detective? Where did you find the money for that?"

"I'm not umm… Paying him money," Kasumi was forced to admit. There was no way she could generate the funds without asking her parents.

"Not paying, but then… K-Kasumi… You aren't… I mean…"

Tilting her head in confusion, Kasumi took a moment to try and figure out why Sumire's face was so red. It looked like a furnace, her eyes wide behind her frames as her mouth flapped, forming barely coherent words.

"I-I didn't think you would do something like that… Why not just trust me!?"

"W-What are you talking about?" Kasumi asked, slightly scared of her burning sister. "I'm just collecting information for him as payment."

"…Huh?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"You mean… you aren't…?"

"Aren't what?" Kasumi asked insistently as Sumire backed off and sat heavily on the carpeted floor.

"I umm… I thought that you were…. Well with your body… Uhh, oh god please forget about it!"

Tilting her head, Kasumi tried to think about it a little more clearly. A way of paying… "You thought I was sleeping with him!" Kasumi accused her sister angrily.

"Only because you were so vague!" Sumire whined back, looking for all intents and purposes that she wished to disappear.

As she said the words, Kasumi thought back to how she had made a similar misunderstanding during her first conversation with the detective. "I suppose that's fair. We are getting to that age."

"Huh? Wait, you don't mean… You would have done it!?"

"I can't be sure…" Kasumi admits awkwardly, blushing under Sumire's wondering gaze. "I was in such a bad state of mind… A-Anyway! Thanks for checking on me."

"Of course, I mean you are my sis… Wait a second!" Sumire pouted. "You can't just say something like that and change the topic!"

"Really? I thought I did." Kasumi teased back.

"Nope! Not going to work!"

Shaking her head in wonder, Kasumi wondered when Sumire got so strong. Where this core of determination came from. It was something Kasumi thought that she possessed. Lately, however, she doubted that. Akechi's snarky comments certainly were not helping. "Really? Because I'm _pretty sure_ you changed the topic when you didn't want to talk."

"U-Uhh…"

Smiling victoriously, Kasumi was glad that it had worked. While she trusted Sumire… Kasumi still didn't want to explain the details to her.

"I-It isn't like I'm hiding anything from you!" Sumire insisted. "Your well-being is just more important."

"Uh huh," Kasumi replied unconvinced. "You know, the more you insist you aren't hiding anything… The less I believe you."

"H-Huh!? W-Why don't you believe me!?"

"…Seriously Sumi?"

"I-I am totally innocent! A hard-working student that isn't planning anything!"

"…"

"Stop staring at me like that!"

Breaking down, Kasumi couldn't stop the giggles from erupting within her. Within seconds, those giggles transitioned into a full-bellied laugh.

"W-Why are you laughing!?"

As Sumire continued to whine, Kasumi collapsed off the chair. Tears forming in her eyes she felt the last of her worries flow away.

"Stop laughing at me!" Sumire complained again, beginning to hit Kasumi weakly.

"S-Sorry!" Protesting the weak blows, Kasumi continued to laugh as the small fists rained down upon her.

"You. Are. Mean!"

"Haha!" Still laughing, Kasumi had no reply for her sister. Sumire's face was on fire while Kasumi couldn't restrain the laughing fit. Kasumi knew it wasn't Sumire's intention, but she had helped her a lot.

After a few more minutes, the laughter died down as Sumire fell back and silently pouted. Lying on the ground, Kasumi turned her head to smile at her sister. "Thank you. Also… Whenever you want to tell me whatever secret it is that you totally don't have… I'll listen."

"Ahh… Thanks Kas." Sumire smiled back. "I guess… The same is also obviously true for me. I really hope that I'll be able to help you… Like you always used to help me."

"Hmm… I miss those times," Kasumi reminisced. "I had so much less to deal with… But I guess I'm being selfish again. You were struggling and… I couldn't change anything."

"N-No!" Sumire denied her, diving forward once more to grab at her hand. "It was my fault! A-And you did help! That day in the rain… I really feel like you changed something that day. You helped me realize I wasn't alone."

"And you reacted by demanding you be left alone," Kasumi teased, forcing some brevity into the conversation that was quickly growing more serious.

"I-I needed to grow!" Sumire pouted again. "…And I still have more growing to do…"

"What was that?" Kasumi asked politely. She was sure that Sumire had not meant for those whispered words to be as audible as they were.

"…It's nothing." Sumire insists stand up. "Kasumi… I just wanted to tell you… I love you."

"Huh?" Lifting her head off the floor, Kasumi felt a flutter of fear as she stared into the determination in Sumire's eyes. This wasn't an apology or a confession. To Kasumi it sounded like a goodbye. Like Sumire imagined herself as a warrior heading off to combat, her survival uncertain. "What are you…?"

Kasumi's words fell on an empty room as Sumire quickly slipped out, leaving her alone. Frowning, Kasumi let her head fall back down on the floor. If Sumire wasn't going to tell her than there was little Kasumi could do except trust her sister. Closing her eyes, Kasumi finally felt the emotion she wanted again for so long swell withing her: determination. Sumire would do what she had to, and Kasumi would succeed on her end. With Akechi on her side, Kobayakawa had no chance.

* * *

_Saturday May 21_ _st_ _, 20XX After school_

"I'm back…" Muttering, Sumire looked up at that strange playground. Its dimensions deceivingly large. Swallowing, Sumire took long strides toward the front entrance. Her heart pounded in her chest with anticipation of the unknown. Each step taking her further into danger, and farther away from the reality that she knew.

In her vision, Sumire barely saw the playground as it grew larger around her; darkness wrapping around her surroundings as she entered the shadow of the building and beyond the bright light from the summit. Instead, her eyes saw two overlapping figures. Her Senpai, smirking at her from further ahead, someone she would never be able to stand beside if she didn't race forward now. The second was Kasumi. Not the strong confident Kasumi, or the laughing Kasumi from yesterday, but the Kasumi of last week. The one that had no hope left in her eyes. The one that saw all of her dreams and everything she had worked for crashing down around her.

With these two images in her mind, Sumire's feet kept her moving forward, even as the atmosphere around her continued to worsen. As Sumire stepped through the open double doors with a cheery sign above them reading: _Welcome to Kobayakawa's Playground! Fun Abounds!_ She felt like she was in a seedy back alley. A neighbourhood where no one would dare risk walk alone.

Sumire was struck by how dissident the atmosphere and lighting were with the actual surroundings. Despite the deep darkness that casted shadows everywhere she looked, the area actually seemed to be… extremely fun. Sumire was tempted for a moment to test her balance on a rocking platform but decided better of it. She had taken Senpai's words to heart. This place could, and would, kill her if she disrespected it.

Walking a little further in, Sumire found that the first wide room at the entrance quickly ended, leaving her in a hallway. Stepping on it, she wobbled slightly. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but the floor was some sort of cushion. Sticking a hand out to the walls revealed they were the same material. At this point she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she bounded forward faster, enjoying the springing sensation with the comfort of knowing everything was padded against injury.

Quickly approaching the corner, Sumire beamed as she found a trampoline laying in wait. Leaping straight at it, Sumire felt it absorb her momentum and shoot her back out around the ninety-degree turn. The world spinning slightly in her vision as she tried to compensate for the quick change in direction.

"Oof!" Crashing into something, Sumire felt herself fall to the ground. Instinctively looking up, she was surprised to see people. That surprise quickly faded however as dread took its place. These weren't people, they were whatever beings populated this world. Rather than the generic children in Shujin uniforms from before, these had a bit more uniqueness to them.

It was as if someone had taken every stereotype for a bad student and stuck them into this group. The one she ran into was an angry looking boy, his hair poorly dyed blond, uniform messy and ripped. A broken tooth was prominently displayed in his sadistic smile. Behind him were two girls. One of them overly pretty, make-up maxed out with bright flashy accessories and clothing. She was even chewing bubble-gum. Sumire half expected the word _Gyaru_ to be painted on her forehead. The other girl, Sumire didn't really understand. She looked like a normal jock. The track outfit sitting snug around the girl's fit body. Why she was considered a delinquent, Sumire didn't know.

Two men were behind them. Despite all five of them being child-sized, these two were still large. Sumire had no other way of describing them, even if she was a good six inches to a foot taller than them, the two 'children' had thick arms and bodies non-befitting their stature. More so, their sleeves were torn off midway down the arm. It didn't take Sumire long to connect them with the word 'thug'. There really was no other way to describe them.

"Well, well, well," the lead boy spoke, his voice a drawling sneer. "Looks like the rumours were right. Someone new did come in to play."

"H-Hi?" Sumire answered quietly, still sitting on the ground, unsure if she should stand up.

"You're walking on the turf of the fearsome five," he continued, leaning closer to Sumire. "When someone does that… they got to pay up."

"P-Pay? What to you want?" Scooting backwards away from the child, Sumire's fear of this strange situation battled with an inner instinct telling her that they're just innocent children. A harsh word should be more than enough to send them crying to their mothers.

"A game."

"Huh?"

"You can challenge any one of us. If you beat them at their game, you can leave. If you lose…"

"Yes?"

"We tie you up and you leave you until… _they_ come past."

"W-Who are they?" Sumire asked frightfully. At this point all delusions about these children had fled her mind. The boy's eyes gleamed with a sadistic gleam she had never seen before. None of the adults in the real world had sent the same chills down her spine.

"The monitors…" The boy breathed in response.

"Ugh, they like totally kill the mood, you know?" The Gyaru added on.

"To put it bluntly, they roam the halls and devour anyone they find that doesn't obey the rules." The jock added on, well-spoken words falling from her mouth in an orderly line.

"D-Devour!?" Sumire screeched, backing up further. "B-But I haven't broken any rules!"

"You see," the boy chuckles, "I forgot to mention that. But the state in which we leave you tied up will… Break some rules."

"Hehe," the gyaru giggles. "You are so naughty to the girls we find! Why don't we get to play with the boys more?"

"Shut up," the leader growls. "My gang, my rules."

"Whatevs…"

"Hruck, Hruck."

The sound like rocks breaking startled Sumire until she identified it as a laugh. The two thugs in the back, with their sunken eyes were laughing at her.

"Remember why you came…" Whispering to herself, Sumire placed a steadying hand on the wall. Not willing to allow these strange children keep her, Sumire stood up, drawing herself to her full height. Once there, the mood shifted slightly. The lead boy took an uncertain step back as Sumire looked down at him, more than a head taller.

"Grr… You aren't a monitor… Or one of the chosen… So why? Why are you so tall!?"

Answering the screamed words with what Sumire hoped was an imperious sniff, she tried to keep her words haughty. "I'm not from here. Now, stand aside and let me pass."

The group shifted for a second. With a faint glimpse of hope, Sumire wondered if they would actually do it. After a second of indecision though, the group stabilized, their nerve returning. "Ha, you wish. Besides, if you aren't from here, you have nowhere to go."

"That's not true," Sumire answered, unhappy about their continued resistance. "I'm heading to the top."

With this the group took another synchronized step back, their courage almost deserting them entirely. The thugs in particular looked like Sumire had told them she was going to kill them. Their faces were blanched as their previously sunken eyes bulged with terror.

"Y-You're one of the… Wait no, that doesn't make sense…"

"She doesn't know what awaits her up there…" The jock murmured. Following her words, the tension faded.

"Ha! Fine then," the lead boy continued, his smile deepening. "How about this, if you win _two_ games against us… we will show you the passage up to the second floor."

"…Very well." Sumire accepted seeing no other way around it. "I am a skilled gymnast… I can win…" muttering, Sumire tried to convince herself of the fact. As long as the games were athletic based, she had a chance. Glancing around the group, Sumire tried to pick out the easiest opponent. It was hard though without knowing what they were going to be doing. Even with her height advantage, Sumire doubted she would emerge victorious in something like wrestling against the thugs. The lead boy as well had a smile she didn't care for. An expression simply begging her to pick him. "I pick… you!"

Perhaps it was predictable, but Sumire pointed her finger at the Gyaru girl. Everything about her, from her clothes to her expression were vapid. Empty. Sumire was sure the girl had never once had a hard day in her life.

"OMG! I'm soooo lucky, I finally have an opponent!"

"Huh?"

"…Most people know better than to choose her." The lead boy shook his head almost sadly. Disappointed he wouldn't get to face Sumire. "Her game is her domain. You have no chance."

With those chilling words, the five of them turned around and led Sumire down the hallway. The gyaru girl finally displaying what seemed to be an honest emotion: anticipation.

Briefly debating fleeing, Sumire decided she would save that for if she lost. Right now, she needed to focus on winning. But, Sumire just couldn't think of what the game could possibly be. In a playground, what were the choices? All Sumire had been able to come up with were races or physical competitions. Neither of which fit the warning that she had been given. As the apprehension peaked, Sumire was led around a corner into an extremely different area. Here the room was actually lit. Little lamps in the four corners illuminating two large wooden tables that consumed most of the space. Stacked on each table were tens of boxes.

Moving closer, Sumire quickly realized what the game would be. In each of these boxes resided a 'game' Sumire hadn't thought about in a really long time: a jigsaw puzzle. "Are we… doing a puzzle?"

"That's right!" The girl responded happily. "You two! Clear off the tables and find the safari themed one!"

"Is that wise?" The lead boy whispered to her, just loudly enough that Sumire could hear. "That's one of the hardest puzzles here. You struggle with it."

The gyaru beamed back at him, "that's why I chose it silly! I don't get a match as often as you. I need to make it last more than five minutes."

_Five minutes!_

The time frame sent a chill down Sumire's spine. Looking back at the boxes that were getting obediently cleared off by the thugs, Sumire almost fainted as she confirmed what her memory told her. Each of these puzzles were at minimum 100 piece. Sumire highly doubted she would be able to assemble the outer frame in five minutes, yet alone solve one of these.

With the tables cleared with the exception of one box, Sumire found herself roughly pushed forward. Turning her head to look behind her, Sumire felt despair close in around her. She had let herself get trapped in a small room with only one exit. Now, with the other four expecting her to lose, they surrounded her table, waiting for Sumire's attempt to flee.

"Okay!" The gyaru exclaimed, "you have one minute to study the box, then the assembling begins!"

Swallowing, Sumire nodded her understanding. All of her confidence had fled. She was competing in a puzzle assembling competition against someone who had solved the puzzle before. Multiple times apparently. She was at a severe disadvantage. Looking at the puzzle art did nothing to help her either. It was 200 pieces with a large, mostly sky-blue upper half. The bottom half was a bit more varied with animals in different sections of the long grass, a pair of gazelles drinking at a pond. Still, Sumire understood why the boy had called it challenging. Many of the pieces would look the exact same.

"Start!"

"Huh!?" Surprised as the time ran out, Sumire was already five seconds behind as she struggled to get the box open and dump the pieces onto the table. Taking glances from the corner of her eye, Sumire tried to pick up any tricks of the trade from the girl beside her. Yet as Sumire watched her, she couldn't figure out what the girl was trying to do. She seemed to be quickly sorting through pieces. Throwing them in random directions.

"Maybe she isn't that good…" Hope returning a little, Sumire tried to focus on what she was doing. Setting the picture up as a reference, turning the pieces picture side up. Then when that was done, she set about finding the edge pieces. A completed border would enable her to quickly fill the rest in… Hopefully.

"Over already," that boy sighed. "We never do get much fun from these matches."

"Huh?" Baffled by the statement, Sumire sent a glance to the other table. Taking in what was happening over there, Sumire's jaw dropped. The random throwing was nothing of the sort. She could almost see a rough picture already. The blue sky at the top, the grass at the bottom. This girl was far beyond Sumire's slow methodical approach. She sorted the pieces based on pattern impression alone. Able to match it with its required location in an instant.

From the table, Sumire's eyes were drawn unto the girl herself. Now in proper light, Sumire was able to appreciate how well the girl's outfit came together. It wasn't just flashy, it fit. It drew attention, but every piece had its purpose, its location that it fit to make a whole picture.

"Ohh…" Muttering, the reason behind the girl's skill came skill to Sumire. She may come off as vacuous, but the gyaru had an eye for patterns. An ability to see how different pieces would come together before they did.

Daunted by her opponent, Sumire turned back to her own wreck. Compared to the girl, Sumire's pieces were scattered everywhere. The only useful thing she had done was turn them all face up.

"Urgh… What would you do Senpai?" Biting her lip, Sumire's hands moved, trying to be productive, but her mind was off somewhere else, trying to generate a strategy. A method of actually coming out victorious. Unfortunately, Sumire didn't know what Senpai would do if put in this situation. Most likely, he would have avoided it entirely somehow. "Kasumi…?"

Speaking her sister's name, Sumire didn't have to think long before her sister's style came to mind. Just like in gymnastics, Kasumi would dive head in. Joining the pieces she could find. Willing to abandon previous sections when something caught her eye.

"Urgh… I hate this part…" The gyaru complained from beside Sumire. Looking over at her, Sumire was shocked to see the girl holding a piece unsteadily between long fingers as she tried to connect it to another one. Her previous sorting dexterity appeared to have disappeared under the more refined motions required to connect the pieces.

"Let's do this…" Not on quite the crunch Sumire had initially thought, a smile overtook her face as she dove forward, hands flying as her eyes scanned the pieces in their entirety. Using a 'kasumi-esque' strategy, Sumire quickly found two pieced on opposite edges of her sprawl that went together. Dropping them in their approximate location, Sumire kept going. Hands flying as her eyes took in the minute details. Eyes trained to see the slightest imperfection. The slightest dip in a leg, or bend in a knee.

In no time at all, Sumire had a pile of fully assembled animals, their curves and colourings making it a joke to assemble them. Smiling from success, Sumire started doing the sections between them. Connecting them in a few careful clicks to create a bridge across the middle of the puzzle.

"Hey… It's getting close." The jock warned.

"Close? What do you…" The lead boy snapped back before his words cut off.

Maybe alerted by the words behind her, the gyaru for the first time looked over at Sumire's puzzle. "Hey! You're not so bad at this! Let's both try our hardest, K!?"

"You can bet on it," Sumire smiled back at the girl. The thrill of competition filling her, Sumire focused again on the puzzle. It was a thrill Sumire hadn't felt in a long time. One that she lost at a certain point, after realizing that no matter what she did, Kasumi won everything. Now though, in a strange world, building puzzles of all things, Sumire felt her face aflush as a drive to win filled her.

Despite the burst, Sumire found herself slowing. The rest of the pieces were too similar. Kasumi's strategy that she had tried to emulate was finding itself struggling. There were no obvious connections grabbing her attention. Nothing to latch onto and build.

"Hmm… So, you can only do shapes. I guess this is the end then."

"Grr…" Gritting her teeth in frustration, Sumire sent a glare at her competitor and confirmed what she already knew. While Sumire was getting fewer connections, the girl was moving at the same pace as before. Unconcerned for the difference between animal and grass. "I need a new strategy… I need a… shape…"

Jerking upright with a revelation, Sumire didn't know how she hadn't seen in before. Picking up a piece she marveled not at the picture that was on it, but at the four sides. How each one was distinct and had its own matching counterpart.

It had only been a few minutes ago that Sumire had appreciated her ability to recognize lines. Whether it was the angle and shape of an arm, or of a puzzle piece, it shouldn't matter. Completely ignoring the picture upon the pieces, Sumire began working again.

In no time, her pace improved. The once identical grass fell into place in seconds. How the knob was at such an angle that it could only accept a certain acceptor. Practically giggling, Sumire tore into the puzzle large sections falling into place. Even as identical sounds rang out from beside her, Sumire didn't pause. Looking at her competitor would only slow her down.

"Done!"

"Finished!"

"W-What!? How could this happen!?"

Panting, Sumire shot a smile at her opponent. The gyaru looked stunned for a few seconds before she jumped to her feet. "Wow! That's the most fun I've had… Ever! Thank you!"

"Huh?" Not ready for the response, Sumire stumbled slightly as the gyaru launched herself at Sumire and held her in a tight hug.

"I guess I lost!" The girl admits, with a large happy smile. "You get to pick your second opponent now!"

"W-Wait!" The leader sulked. "That was a tie! You can't just say that…"

"Oops!" The gyaru exclaimed in false surprise as as she ripped off her corner tile. "I guess I never finished."

"…"

"Teehee!"

"Thank you…" Sumire said to the girl, slightly abashed. She couldn't believe she was getting taught a lesson in sportsmanship from a child in another world. The very concept was extremely bizarre.

"Don't bother! Like I said, I had fun! Besides, maybe this way you'll come back someday, and we can have a rematch!"

"Haha, I doubt I'd win a second time, and I really don't want to get devoured."

"Next time it will be for fun!" The girl promised.

"No…" The leader growled. "We are the fearsome five! We maintain the bullying badge for the first floor! We can't let this… this _do-gooder,_ take it from us!"

"Oh right…" The girl sighed. "You wanted to reach the second floor…"

"Huh?" Muttering, Sumire was lost as the conversation went on around her.

"W-What if you give up on going higher! Stay down here with us! We can become the sexy six!"

"I can't," Sumire answered with a shake of her head. "I need to take down Kobayakawa."

At the name, a series of gasps rang out from around her. The gyaru feel down where she stood, like a puppet with its strings cut. The others fared little better. The thugs wrapped each other in a shared hug, their expressions full of fear as they stared at Sumire like they expected her to kill them right now.

"You can't," the jock answered, less affected than the others. "He is the pinnacle. Everyone answers to him: the monitors, the chosen. Even if you got to him, it is rumoured that he is undefeatable. He is the ultimate bully."

Giggling, Sumire never expected to hear that line said so seriously. "The ultimate bully? Isn't that nickname really goofy?"

"Tch, you're too naïve, outsider," the jock bit back. "We're the first-floor bully pack. Our jobs are to keep the others in line and guard the way up. No one can progress unless they prove themselves tougher than us. Kobayakawa is keeper of the light and Bully of the ninth floor. If you can barely deal with us, you have no hope of even clearing the second."

"You may be right…" Sumire admits. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to quit now! I choose you as my second opponent to gain access to the next floor." Dramatically sticking her hand out, Sumire pointed straight at the jock.

"Huh, so despite having the others cowering currently and not in their right state-of-mind, you're challenging me instead. You've got guts; I'll give you that."

"What's your game?" Sumire asked back, not joining in on the banter.

"You'll see. It's extremely straightforward."

Taking her word for it, Sumire nodded as she followed her to the next challenge. She knew she should be scared, but Sumire felt like she could still feel Kasumi with her. The girl's boldness pushing her on. No doubt Senpai would be grateful for the information she'd gathered already, but it wasn't enough. She still needed to find this 'awakening', or whatever it was.

* * *

"We're here."

"I see…" Smiling, the objective was instantly clear to Sumire. It was a pseudo obstacle course. However, most of it appeared to be climbing. There were series of ropes and ladders and metal bars. On top of that, there were uneven platforms. Rather than strength, this course appeared to rely on dexterity and balance. It slotted into Sumire's strengths perfectly.

Glancing to the side, she realized that it also suited her opponent perfectly. An opponent that was currently going through a series of stretches, preparing herself for the course.

Turning her gaze to herself, Sumire frowned at her outfit. She was wearing her school uniform. While not uncomfortable, she wished she had changed to her gym clothes before coming. Her flats weren't awful for movement, but after a moment of consideration Sumire took them off. With that done, she set into her own stretches. However, even as she did them, Sumire found them pointless. Her body was ready. With her adrenaline soaring, Sumire was ready for this competition.

"Do you not have any pants?"

"Huh?" Glancing at her soon to be opponent, Sumire didn't know why it mattered. "No, I don't."

"Ah, so you're a… exhibitionist is it? I hadn't expected that."

"Huh?" Confused, Sumire looked back at her outfit again. She was showing barely any skin. Why would the girl… "Oh no…" Blushing deeply, Sumire stole a horrified glance back at where the three boys were leering at her in expectation. The striped skirt that Sumire rarely paid attention to would cover nothing as jumped and climbed her way up the course.

"…I would lend you a pair… But they wouldn't fit. Are you going to forfeit?"

"…No." Sumire decided after a second. "The outfits I perform in are just as revealing. I'm not embarrassed."

"…If you say so." The jock replied. Sumire just caught a satisfied smile on her face. "If you are ready, the goal is to reach the top and hit the button first. We start in three, two, one, now!"

"Ah!" Caught slightly off guard by how quickly the girl started the race, Sumire dashed forward toward the right structure. While she was half a second behind at first, her longer stride quickly overcame the shorter girl.

Planting her foot, Sumire launched herself at the first rope ladder. The rough straw tearing at her hands as she struggled to find the steps. Each one bending beneath her feet as she propelled herself up. Looking up, Sumire prepared herself for the next obstacle.

Trying to plant herself on the platform, Sumire staggered as she realized the thing wasn't stable. It was held up only at the center and the rest of it was able to tilt up to almost 40 degrees. Staggering back down to the ladder, Sumire analyzed the obstacle quickly and launched herself forward. Stopping right in the middle, Sumire quickly leapt to her feet, muscles flexing beneath her as they made countless minor readjustments to keep her upright and stable.

"Not bad." The jock said from the course to Sumire's left. "But don't think you've won just yet!"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Watching the jock leap off the platform to the next in wonder, Sumire focused on her own course. Tensing her muscles, she attempted to duplicate the feat. The long distance between the platforms made worse by their rickety nature. Sumire stumbled on impact, struggling to keep her balance. Glancing to the side, she groaned as the jock powered through, long legs taking her from platform to platform.

Picking up the tempo, Sumire was able to complete the last two jumps decently, transitioning between them. Coming to a rope wall, Sumire began to pull herself up. Behind the rope net was a rock-like wall, the corners of the squares somehow attached. Each gap in the net was so small, the whole thing was almost stuck to the wall making it hard to get a grip.

Nonetheless, Sumire gritted her teeth and began to pull herself up. Her fingers scraping against the wall as she dug in for purchase. The rough rope cutting into her bare feet as well as she forced her body higher.

"Impressive… What sport do you do?"

"Gymnastics…" Sumire replied, grunting from effort. "Rhythmic. You?"

"None… At least… not anymore."

With that the jock pulled herself over the lip and unto the next challenge. "Hiyah!" Yelling with effort, Sumire did the same, her loose hair flying around her as she did so. Rolling once on top of the wall, she found the path. Branching away from the mirrored course, it was a balance beam. The ten-centimetre-wide surface would have intimidated most people. Sumire, however, merely smirked at it. Even the ninety degree turn in the middle did nothing to daunt her as darted across the obstacle to another net. This one was free-floating in the hair, suspended by wires Sumire guessed. Despite its free-floating nature, this net was actually far sturdier. Spread and held tight while its holes were the correct size for Sumire's limbs.

"Why did you quit?" Sumire shouted over to the other net. At the same time Sumire was able to see the girl's progress. Sumire was dismayed to see that she was only neck-in-neck. She had thought that her speed across the beam would give her an advantage.

"I didn't, I was kicked."

"Ah," Sumire replied, trying to force herself faster at the same time. Her answer explained why she was with a gang of miscreants. "What did you do?"

"I spoke up. If you keep talking, you'll lose."

"Well," Sumire smiled back at her. "If you keep replying then we're even." To her surprise, Sumire received an answering smile.

"I suppose."

After that, the pair continued on in silence across a few more obstacles. As her muscles warmed-up, Sumire's confidence continued to grow. The course seemed to be designed to be doable for the average person. Doing it _quickly,_ however, was still a challenge.

Coming up on the next challenge, Sumire revised her opinion about it being doable by anyone. Over an empty gap, there were four pillars with discs on top pointed inward. The intention was to have the person jump quickly, back and forth between them. No way to slow down, no do-overs.

"For Kasumi…"

Whispering, Sumire threw herself face first into the obstacle. Maybe there was a safer way to do it, but Sumire didn't care. A safer way would be too slow. She needed to win. Her left foot landed solidly in the center of the first target.

Sideways momentum keeping her there, Sumire pushed off, launching herself right, at the second one. Her speed had dropped too far, Sumire's foot landing on the back on the platform. Panicking slightly, Sumire tried to bring herself together, giving up on an instant kickoff. As she did, her body began to slide.

"Hyaa!" Crying out, Sumire's body reacted instinctively. Her training preventing her from falling while doing nothing. Pushing hard off her right foot, Sumire floated in the air for a second before landing on the third. Not letting her momentum fail she leaped for the fourth. Hitting it dead in the center, the push off to the end platform was easy.

"I was a volleyball player," the jock's voice came from just behind Sumire.

"Wait…" Sumire muttered stopping briefly to cast a terrified look at the girl. "So… you played under Kamoshida?"

"DON'T SAY THAT NAME!"

Flinching under the force, Sumire was taken aback at the raw anger and emotion in the girl's voice. Until now she was almost emotionless. Reacting less than any of the others.

"He took everything from me!"

"What happened?" Sumire asked sadly, climbing through the final few obstacles. She could see the final pedestal at this point.

"I was a player… I spoke out against him… The other girls… I thought they would help. That they would add their voices to mine…"

"You got kicked off for accusing him." Sumire summarized.

"IDIOTS!" The girl exploded once more, dashing easily over the pillars. "All they cared about were their college recommendation letters. If we fought together, we could have gotten a new coach! They abandoned me…"

"I'm sorry," Sumire replied. "Kamoshida admitted to his crimes though."

"Did he?" The girl muttered staggering over an obstacle. "That's… That's what you're here to do to Kobayakawa, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I see… Good luck on the second floor, you'll need it."

"Huh?" Finishing the final obstacle, Sumire was surprised to see that the jock had stopped moving, a satisfied expression on her face. Tracking her eyes to the button, Sumire tentatively pushed it.

"Thank you."

The words were faint to Sumire's ears. She strained to catch more before a loud, ominous groaning came out of the structure next to her. The other course.

"No!" Sumire's scream did nothing to change things as the course collapsed in its entirety. The jock disappearing beneath the wreckage. "No…" Repeating the word, Sumire fell to her knees, tears in her eyes. "Why…?"

Nothing answered Sumire as she found a rope on the other side of the button. Climbing down it, Sumire reached the floor that she had started on. The rest of the gang was nowhere to be seen, only a childish looking badge remained on the floor.

_First floor squad._

Picking it up, Sumire shook her head at it. The thing didn't make sense. This was the key to get to the second floor? "And I won it from killing a child…"

Sniffing, Sumire felt herself at the brink. If she took a break now, or let herself stop, she probably wouldn't start again. Senpai had been right. She understood none of this. Only that the corruption at the school hadn't been purged with Kamoshida's confession.

Taking rough steps, Kasumi walked like a zombie down a dimly lit path. It looked more important than the others, taking her past the obstacle course's remains, the path opened up into a larger room. At the center was a plastic staircase, like one would find on a playground, heading up and up to a door. Assuming that was the second floor, Sumire staggered her way up.

Once there, she found a slot, star shaped. Pressing the badge against the indentation, a soft groaning emitted from the door before it slowly slid open. Walking through, the first difference to Sumire was the light. While it certainly wasn't bright here, there was far more than the first floor.

"Well, well," a familiar voice called out, "look who it is. Come to take down my master."

"Kasumi…" Breathing the name of her beloved sister in fear, Sumire stood in shock before a younger version of her sister.

* * *

_Saturday May 21_ _st_ _, 20XX After school_

Joker stared up at the playground that had repelled them last time. Already they were wearing their rebellious outfits, proof that Kobayakawa saw them as a threat. A mix of apprehension and excitement swirled within him. Joker would be lying if he claimed not to enjoy the infiltration. Carefully picking off different shadows and progressing further without being seen.

"Straight in the front door?" Skull asked, his voice betraying his mirrored excitement.

Taking a look around the party, Joker was sure they all felt it as well. Each of them wanted another crack at the place which had repelled them so easily last time. "Yeah, the front door will work."

"Can't say I'm a fan of it," Mona sighed, "but we don't have any other options."

Striding quickly through the lawn, Joker caught sight of cognitive beings playing on the equipment out front. Seeing the Shujin outfit on the small children was a little unnerving. Nonetheless, it wasn't long before he opened the front door and slipped through the large double doors.

"Hmm…" Looking around, Joker realized how confusing this place would get. Especially in the dim light, Joker didn't doubt that they could spend an hour roaming about finding different contraptions and toys and hallways.

"We found maps in both Kamoshida's and Madarame's," Panther reminded him. "If we look around, I'm sure we can find one."

"True…" Taking off down a random passage, Joker quickly put together how the different areas were laid out. There appeared to be four types. A main room with multiple different toys and games. Then there appeared to be individualized rooms. A smaller area built around a single concept. One of the ones Joker passed simply held a table tennis table with balls and rackets. These were the only rooms with any type of illumination. The last types were the hallways. There were the slightly illuminated ones that Joker had taken, and the smaller dark ones that split off in random directions. Each of those were fully padded and meant for playing in.

As he kept walking, Joker was struck by a single thought. How empty it was. Every palace before now had been teeming with shadows. Guards of some type to keep order. But besides the cognitive beings outside, Joker had seen nothing.

"I can't believe we lost…"

"Do you think…"

"…We done for?"

Holding up a hand to stop his party, Joker gestured to an adjacent hallway and hid behind it. Peering around with practiced stealth, Joker watched as four kids came into view. A depressed, melancholy air hung above them. The boy leading the children had a stunned expression. The visage of someone what witnessed a horrible accident and is unable to come to terms with it.

Before he could consider otherwise, Joker stepped out from behind cover and confronted them. "You four. Do you have a map to this place?" Despite them being cognitive beings, Joker knew that they weren't ordinary. There was something special about them.

"W-Who are you!? …Wait a second… You're the intruders? But then…"

"…Who did we lose the key to…"

"…" Blinking at them, Joker found himself at a loss for words as the rest of his party filed out behind him. Staring them down four on four, Joker felt little threat from them. Even with the two kids in the back with surprisingly large arms felt weak. His persona could dispose of them easily.

"We are the fearsome five! Pick one of us to challenge at their own game or we will tie you up and leave you to be devoured!"

"Huh?"

"What the hell is that kid prattling about?" Skull complained. "This is why I hate kids, they're pitchy and annoying. Just give us a map of this place and scram!"

"W-Who do you think you are!? We are the fearsome five!"

"Uhh… But there's totally only four of you…" Panther pointed out.

"Well that's… She'll be back… Eventually… Wait! That's not important! Choose your opponent!"

"No one." Joker interrupted, fed up with this. "You clearly aren't worth our time. Move."

"…In that case…"

With a growl, the leader began to transform, his exterior appearance melting away. When the energy solidified, Joker was staring up at the creature. It still vaguely resembled the kid, except he was demonified. The red skin covered with swirling tattoos. His original rebellious look had been taken to a new level because of it. Following shortly after, the mean looking kids in the back became even larger versions. The two were mirror images of each other. One black with yellow patches, and the other yellow with black patches, their upper bodies leaning over from the sheer mass they possessed.

The last one, the girl with her excessive ornamentation struck a pose. "I wasn't really in the mood, but here we go! Traaaansfoooorm!"

With an extended shout, she twirled in place as the energy consumed her and then shattered off in stunning fashion. Leaving behind a more elegant demon, her skin glowing a bright pink.

"What the hell," Skull spat again. "Looks like it's coming down to a fight anyway."

"So it would seem," Joker agreed. While the whole situation was strange to him, there was little else her could do. And despite the dramatic changes to their stature, he didn't feel like they gave off any additional feelings of power. Almost reluctant to do so, Joker removed his mask. "Come, Jack Frost."

A moment later, the lovable little snow persona showed up, a mirage of power floating above Joker's head. With an innocent 'Heehoo', the persona twirled and sent a wave of icy power at the four shadows.

"Gragh!" Crying out in pain, all four of them toppled to their knees severely injured. Joker merely pursed his lips at them. It seemed almost unfair, but there was nothing else to do.

"Finish them."

"You got it! Captain Kidd!"

"Zorro!"

With a pair of explosions caused by their personas, the four shadows melted away into nothingness, their power far below what the thieves had accumulated up until this point.

"That was umm…" Panther mumbles, the only one that didn't bother attacking.

"Pathetic?" Skull growled. "Damn kids should have just scrammed."

"Aww, it sounds like you care for them," Mona teased. "I thought you had learned that cognitive beings are nothing here."

"I'm worried," Joker spoke. Stepping forward, he claimed a piece of parchment from the ground. The only thing left behind by the shadows. Unfurling it, he tsked at the crayon drawing. Endless lines weaving back and forth. Flipping it over, there was a similar yet different drawing on the back. "They called themselves the fearsome five and mentioned losing as well as meeting someone else."

"Yeah, that was weird," Mona spoke not really caring. "Is that a map you found?"

"It appears to be the first two floors," Joker agreed, allowing himself to be sidetracked. Flipping it back over, Joker located a '1' printed in the top right corner. "It's messy, but it should work with a little effort. Going back though, I think Sumire may be here."

"What!?"

"No!"

"Why would she…?"

Holding up a hand for silence, Joker got it after a second. "I may have underestimated her desire to help. Let's hurry to the second floor. She may have been able to beat these people without a persona, but if the floors keep getting stronger, I doubt that will keep up."

Without waiting for an answer, Joker finished his studying of the map and took off. Based on what he could tell, they were actually close to the stairs already. His lucky guess paying off.

"AHHHH!"

The piercing scream cut through the hallway easily. Face blanching, Joker sped up. His worst fears were realized. Sumire had come back in all alone despite his warnings, and by the sounds of things, was on the verge of death.

* * *

_Saturday May 21_ _st_ _, 20XX After school_

"N-Noooo… This can't be!" Staggering back a back step, Sumire felt her whole world compressing on one point. Kasumi, smiling menacingly down at her, her uniform and hair perfect as always.

"Well… Look at you. If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I would have assumed you stole that badge by claiming to be one of the chosen... Of course, no one would really believe that. You may resemble one, but you don't have the potential."

"W-What are you talking about Kasumi!? I don't understand! H-How are you here… Why are you a child now!? I don't…"

"Shut up idiot." The girl glared down at Sumire. Jumping off the raised she platform she was observing Sumire from, Kasumi fell gracefully to the floor ten metres below. Despite the dizzying height, Kasumi barely bent her knees to absorb the impact.

"W-Why would you say that!?"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up!?" Kasumi spat back, eyes narrowing in anger. "God, I could almost believe you are my sister the way you prattle on with senseless comments and useless questions really pisses me off."

"K-Kasumi…?" Crumpling to the ground, Sumire couldn't keep up. All she knew was that her beloved person, her sister that she looked up to more than anyone… hated her. The truth of that was in her every imperious gesture.

"Much better. Try not to scream too loudly while I kill you."

"W-What…?"

"I didn't mention?" Kasumi smirked as her heels clicked across the ground as she approached. With each step Kasumi grew, changing from this child form into the appearance Sumire recognized. As she did, her uniform changed. The Shujin outfit melted away to reveal a dancing uniform underneath. To Sumire's eyes though, it looked almost metallic. More like armour than a normally leotard. Even the nude leggings glimmered with a thickness that wouldn't be allowed in a normal outfit. It wasn't a colour Sumire had seen before though, it was stripes of silver and black. The contrsting colours giving Kasumi an almost ethereal beauty. The only other difference with it was the sheath hanging on her hip. As Kasumi took another step, she drew the weapon forth. What emerged was an elegant dual-edged rapier. One side shimmered a perfect silver and the other a jet-black. "I watched your match against that fool. You declared your intentions to dethrone my master. For your impudence, your sentence is death."

"You… You can't be serious…" Sumire mumbled back, still unable to move, even as Kasumi came within five metres. "W-We're sisters! I-I'm here to save you from Kobayakawa!"

"Shut up!" Kasumi commanded once again. Rapier flashing forward, Kasumi let it hover centimetres over Sumire's throat. "You disgust me for wearing my sister's face, imposter."

"No!" Sumire bit back, some anger rising in her despite the sword at her throat. "I am your sister! You helped me with my homework! When I couldn't land a jump, you were there at my side, encouraging me! You… You love me…"

"SHUT UP!"

"AHHHH!" Screaming in pain, Sumire held a hand to her cheek as she rolled across the ground moaning in agony. She had barely seen the blade as it swiped across her face, launching blood in an arc behind it. "K-Kasumi…"

"Do you understand now, bitch!?" Kasumi raged back stalking forward. "Don't you dare try to pretend to be my precious little sister. My darling Sumi."

_Sumi._

The word awoke a memory in Sumire. A long time ago. Almost before they had attended that first gymnastics practice together. They had been so young at the time. So happy just to play with each other. To have meaningless competitions.

" _Yoo, Sumire, hurry up!"_

" _You're running too fast!"_

" _Hehe, you have to keep up!"_

_Running on ahead of Sumire, Kasumi was like the wind, dashing forward in an uncatchable whirlwind. Her young legs already lithe and nimble. Each step taking her further up the stone staircase and away from Sumire desperately trying to catch up._

" _N-No! Don't leave me behind!"_

" _Haha, I bet I can run faster backward than you can forward!"_

" _Wait! Don't do it Kasumi, you'll…"_

" _Ow! Waaah!"_

_Lying on the stone steps, Kasumi bawled as she held her head between her hands. A faint red liquid starting to ooze out between her fingers._

" _K-Kasumi! Are you alright?" Hurrying to her sister's side, Sumire didn't know what else to do except sit and watch as Kasumi cried._

" _A-Am I going to be okay? M-My career isn't over… Is it?"_

" _N-No! You're fine! Just keep pressure on it and you'll be right as rain in no time!"_

" _R-Really!? Thank you… My darling Sumi."_

" _Hehe anything for you… My Beloved Kas."_

Blinking away the images, Sumire put a hand on the ground to stabilize herself. Despite the pain, Sumire pushed herself upright. "If you think killing me will help… Then please do… My darling Kas."

"W-What…? What did you say!" Levelling her rapier at Sumire, Kasumi held it in shaking hands. "Y-You shouldn't know that… You can't know that!"

Swallowing, Sumire felt like the danger was past. Despite the blade still between them, it was starting to drop. It's point close to the ground now as Kasumi's hesitation got the best of her.

"Sumire!"

"Get away from her!"

Instantly the rapier was back up, point levelled towards the stairs. "So… You are an imposter. Sent here to confuse me by these… thieves!"

"N-No!" Sumire tried to plead as she turned between Kasumi and the newcomers. As she faced them though, her heart got stuck in her throat. "S-Senpai…?"

"It's alright now Sumire. We won't let her hurt you."

With no further explanation, he stepped in front of Sumire, drawing a knife as he faced off across from Kasumi. The other three that Sumire had seen before fell in formation around him, turning it into a four on one.

"T-This... This is good, I can kill all the thieves at once… Fulfill my master's wishes. Yes…"

The prattled words sounded slightly unhinged to Sumire. Like Kasumi was trying to convince herself that this was what she wanted.

"Yoo Joker…" The other man spoke, "what's up with this shadow? Why isn't it transforming?"

"I think…" Senpai replied, "that this _is_ the shadow's true form. She's just another cognitive being."

"The principal must see her as a powerful pawn. That makes her powerful here as well."

"God, he is so messed up."

Not really tracking the conversation, Sumire finished standing up on shaky legs. Looking back and forth between the five figures, Sumire couldn't figure out what would happen next.

"Let's go."

"Zorro!"

"Captain Kidd!"

"Carmen!"

"Wha…Whaaat!?" Following back to the ground, Sumire stared wide-eyed at Senpai's friends summoned some sort of monsters and attacked Kasumi.

"Guh!" Hearing the grunt of pain from her sister, Sumire's heart stopped beating.

"No! Stop it! You're hurting her!"

"Don't worry about it," Senpai assured her, his voice still calm. "She's just a shadow. Your real sister is home safe."

"Huh? T-The people here… They aren't real?"

"No. This is the world inside Kobayakawa's heart. This is simply how he sees the school. He sees your sister as his pawn, and therefore she is here."

"B-But that… That's not true!" Yelling Sumire heaved herself to her feet. She felt so drained, so stupid for not figuring it out sooner. She should have known that the real Kasumi would never hurt her. Kasumi took care of her.

Yet… Despite Senpai's words clearing everything. From Kasumi's actions to the death games… Sumire still felt restless. She didn't want to see her sister die. Not as an obedient puppet for the principal.

"Watch out!"

"Shit! She's fast!"

Sumire wanted to smile with pride despite the situation. This was Kasumi they were fighting. Her body had been meticulously honed to obey her every command.

"I am… Yoshizawa Kasumi… Chosen of the High Bully! I. Will. Not. LOSE!"

"Huh?"

Covering her eyes at the blast of force, Sumire squinted through the barrage to try and track what was occurring. In a four-on-one, the fight had turned into a one-sided slaughter, and not for the four. Kasumi's perfect movements dodged their every attack by the slimmest of margins. Her counterattacks were deadly, each one hitting an unguarded area or weak spot.

As the gale subsided, only one figure was left standing, Kasumi. She looked worse for wear, her uniform torn in a couple places, as she stood bent over, panting heavily. Her rapier creating sparks as it slid heavily across the floor.

That was nothing compared to the others though. They were groaning in pain, their bodies unresponsive. "S-Senpai?" Calling out his name, Sumire took one hesitant step toward his prone body. "Senpai!" Screaming this time, Sumire threw herself on top of him.

"…Move."

"H-Huh?"

"I-I don't know who you are… But leave. Just this once I'll let you live."

"Sumire…" Senpai coughed weakly. However, as she locked eyes with him, his gaze was as strong as ever. "You aren't less than her."

"!?"

"Move."

"Ah!" Sumire found herself rolling along the floor. Kicked to the side by Kasumi. Stopping with a jolt, Sumire looked up as Kasumi held her rapier in a backhanded grip, its point hovering over Senpai. "Stop… No…" Voice muttering weakly, Sumire felt it. That same weakness that always inhabited her. The one that stopped her from living up to Kasumi's example. That dark fog on her soul.

"I believe in you."

"Huh?" Despite the words in her ears, Sumire knew there was no way she could have heard Senpai say anything. His lips had moved, and she knew what he meant. "I can't…"

"I can't watch you die!"

Rushing forward, Sumire threw herself at Kasumi who had begun the death stroke. The attack that would take her precious Senpai away from her.

"Gah!" Colliding roughly, Sumire locked her hands around Kasumi's wrists and pushed. It felt like going up against a rock wall. Without even a height advantage, Sumire found herself sorely outmatched.

"…What? You can't stop me."

"Yes… I can!" Sumire groaned back, being pushed to her knees as the sword inexorably sank closer to Senpai.

"No. Not once have I ever lost to Sumire. If you claim to be her, then I will win this contest as well."

"!?" Going rigid with shock, Sumire felt herself lose more ground as the sword pushed her down again.

"I let you go… Why do you fight for them?"

"Because… I love you."

"W-What!? That makes no sense! Idiot!"

Despite Kasumi's enraged answer, Sumire found that she had stopped losing ground. They were locked in a stalemate. The massive force against Sumire was daunting, but it was no longer unholdable.

"The Kasumi I know helps people. I care about you too much to watch you do this. Also… If it's to save Senpai… Then all the more reason!"

"…Fine. Then die with them."

"No!" Sumire gritted back as the force on her increased. The edge of the blade cutting into Sumire's other cheek as Kasumi increased the pressure. "This time… This time, I will win! Prepare to lose, Kasumi!"

" _So, have you finally decided to step into the light?"_

"Gah!"

"Grrr…" Blown back by a shockwave of force, Kasumi's blow was stop as she skidded to a stop, glaring at Sumire all the while.

Sumire wasn't paying attention though. Not to her temporary victory, or Kasumi's glare, or her injured Senpai. All of her focus was directed inward, to her pounding head.

Gripping it with two hands, Sumire moaned as wave after wave of indescribable pain assaulted her, brought on by the voice. Staggering to her feet, Sumire bent over as she listened to it, the force tearing through her skull mercilessly.

" _If your conviction is firm, then together let us abolish the shackles that contain us and become the beacon that guides others!"_

"This voice… I hear you…" Taking a knee, Sumire began to regain control of her body. The waves of pain hadn't faded, but she felt like she was now in tune with them. On the same rhythm such that they fizzled out with no effect.

" _Let us bathe this world in purifying light! …I am thou. Thou art I… Accept this divine burden and let us cleanse this land together!"_

"Let's do this, Jeanne!" Sumire daintily stroked the mask that had formed on her face with two fingers. Its long surface stretched past her ears in both directions and left her face unobscured. Its surface glimmered with the sheen of pure ivory, marked with etchings of gold. Ignoring its beauty, Sumire knew what she had to do. Twirling, she grabbed it under the lower edge and ripped.

Pure agony assaulted her mind as she did so. The pain did not come from her face to which the mask was attached. Sumire felt it in her soul, a weakness that she had for so long taken to be fact. As she ripped, that part of her ripped as well. A facet that was inconsolable to the power that she had awakened to.

Finishing the rotation, Sumire let the mask go into the sky. Completing one then two rotations, it landed perfectly back into her hand, like a baton in her routine, before vanishing in a shower of light.

Around Sumire, her new outfit took shape. Thighs bared to the world, similar to her performance outfits, she wore a white leotard, skin-tight around her body. Swirling behind her was a cape of ivory, the edges tinged with gold. The outfit was resplendent. It was something Sumire would never have been brave enough to wear normally. Even the sleeves were spectacular. The frills on the end touched with the same gold lace as the cape. The gloves on her hands matched her ivory cape. Her hair that was usually hanging around her was pulled back, tied with a gold ribbon that matched Kasumi's silver one.

Looking back, Sumire took in the being floating behind her head. It resembled the ones from earlier, but it was different. It was hers. Its form was of a woman, or maybe a teenager, only a few years older than Sumire herself. Her hair was pure gold, the exact same shade as the colour on Sumire's outfit. Unlike Sumire though, the persona was wearing a set of armour covering the rest of her body. It shimmered brightly with the light of burnished steel. Engraved in the armour were markings of blue and gold, a giant fleur covered the breastplate and the back of each glove. In her right hand she bore a decorative longsword, and in her left a golden flame.

"…You may have awoken to a new power… But it won't help!"

Facing Kasumi, Sumire felt a brief flicker of that old darkness. The old fear which would have robbed her ability to face Kasumi. Now though, it was dispelled easily.

"No Kasumi. This time… For the first time… I will beat you!"

Dashing forward, Sumire drew the rapier that she found sheathed on her hip. The entire blade glowed with a faint white light. It was slim and elegant, and Sumire loved it the moment she first laid eyes on the blade. It fit into her hand with a natural grace. It was a little heavier than the baton she used as a prop, but it behaved better to her commands.

"Hyaa!"

"Hiyah!"

Yelling out with twin roars, the girls collided like twin shadows. Their mirrored blades clashing in a frenzy of sparks. From the collision a singular note rang out, like the ringing of a bell.

"You claim to defeat me… With just this? I suppose I should have expected anyone imitating my sister to be hopelessly naïve."

"Grr…" Sumire wanted to shout something back, but she could feel the truth of Kasumi's words. Every second, she gave a little more ground. Even with the newfound power she had awoken too, Sumire couldn't best Kasumi in a contest of strength.

_Will you not use my power?_

As the voice rang in her head, Sumire smiled. Jumping back, she disengaged the contest. "I'm sorry Jeanne. Let us show this pretender the truth!" The already awoken persona held out her left hand, the ball of golden fire expanding into a column, consuming Sumire with its light.

Instantly, Sumire felt the power inside her increase. She didn't quite know exactly what her persona had done, but Sumire felt the toll it had taken on her mind to perform the deed. Power revitalized, Sumire dove back in for round two.

"You dare call me a pretender!? I'm one of the chosen! You're the outsider!"

"Maybe…" Sumire grunted, somehow finding herself locked in that match. "But! I am fighting to save the ones I love!"

"Huh?"

With an ominous crack, the fight shifted. Groaning from the strain, Sumire pushed one final time. Her rapier gaining ground as she pushed Kasumi back.

_Crack!_

Again, but louder this time, Sumire saw the spiderweb cracks coating Kasumi's blade where their swords touched.

"I'm… going to lose?"

"I'm… going to beat Kasumi?"

Muttering in twinned confusion, Sumire locked eyes with the girl from a short range. Even now, Sumire struggled to see her as a cognitive version, a fake. Once she had grown from her child-like stature, Kasumi's appearance was identical to what Sumire knew it as.

The brief moment of calm was shattered a moment later as Kasumi's blade broke into two pieces, the force of the confrontation too much for the sword to handle.

"Gah!" Crying out, Kasumi fell backwards, her body completely vulnerable.

Drawing back her blade, Sumire saw her chance to end it. One swift strike and the fight would be over. Her sister couldn't take much more after her fight with the thieves.

"…I'm sorry." Apologizing as she did so, Sumire's hand began to move. The sword leaving a faint trail of light behind it as it travelled to strike down the imitation of her sister.

_Clang!_

"Huh?" Rapier thrown back from a surprise blow, Sumire stumbled away. Staring at the newcomer, Sumire's jaw dropped as she stared at herself. Or well, a version of herself. This Sumire was hiding behind those glasses, large coats on as if to protect herself from a storm. Even as she bore a shield which she used to protect Kasumi, it shivered in her hands. Sumire couldn't help but be struck by how helpless this version of her looked. How frail.

"Let's go sis!"

"…Thank you… Sumire."

"Ack!" Calling out in surprise, Sumire leapt back as her counterpart threw something at the ground between them. From the cylindrical device, smoke poured out obscuring the area. Retreating, Sumire felt her persona retreat inside of her. With the mask reforming on her face, Sumire felt like an idiot. Of course that power had been available to her the entire time. Having used it once, Sumire felt it pulsing through her body like a second skin. A protection from attack and also a power that let her pull off feats she would have only been able to dream about before.

Touching her ivory and gold mask, Sumire sent a single thought through it. _Thank you, Jeanne._

_I need no thanks, after all… I am you._

Smiling, Sumire felt that power which she had took for granted leave. Unceremoniously, Sumire toppled to the ground. Sticking her hands out in front of her, she never connected.

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

"S-Senpai?" Sumire asked quickly, struggling to raise her head. After a second, she felt her lower body touch the ground again. Only her upper body was still propped up by a strong arm underneath her.

"Despite that… Thank you. We would have died charging in headfirst."

"Hehe… See Senpai? I told you… I told you I could help."

"You did."

Smiling Sumire felt a singular tear roll down her cheek. "Those copies of us… Why were they so real? So… Lifelike?"

"I can't really answer that," Senpai denied her with a shake of his head. "They should have been cognitive beings, acting and behaving exactly as Kobayakawa imagines them to. But… It like you changed it somehow. Enforced your own cognition on the place and began to overwrite Kobayakawa's influence."

"…Hey Senpai?"

"…Yes?"

"Before I pass out… You won't leave me behind anymore, right? I get to fight by your side? I mean… I finally found the light… My light."

"Yes Sumire. We will be glad to have you."

Wearing a contented smile, Sumire's mind fled, the exertion of the day too much. From now on though, Sumire knew that she would walk a new path. One of her own choosing. Not reliant on others to light her way. She didn't need them anymore with the shadows surrounding her banished. Now, Sumire was the one that brought light to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post word:
> 
> So, in summary I changed Sumire's persona from Cendrillon to Jeanne and altered her thieves outfit.
> 
> There's a review from NamelessPassionate back on June 2 that covers basically my thoughts on the matter exactly. Cendrillon is of course cinderella and many of her themes are used in the original P5R story. Basically how 'Kasumi' is essentially a dream, a mirage like Cinderella's dress in the story. There are more of these elements woven in, but none of them really work all that well here.
> 
> Well, why Jeanne? Yes, I get that she's overused, but as someone who isn't history buff, she just seemed to fit the themes I was going for really well. In particular the whole depression and cloud of darkness that hung over Sumire and the fight to remove it. Jeanne is a figure that strove to take back her country from oppression during the 100 year war. She was in every sense of the word, a light that lit the way for her country. The same way that she lights Sumire's way out of the darkness as she finds her own path.
> 
> The new outfit is meant to reflect this. Honestly, Sumire's original black outfit seemed to be created with the intention of pairing nicely with Joker's. While this new one loses a bit of that, I thought it was fun to have a character whose outfit was blatantly different in the same kind of way Panther's red really stands out and Akechi's first outfit.
> 
> Once again, I hope this summarizes my thoughts and calms any anger that this chapter may have created. Later! :)


	8. Divergent paths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, last day of July, last chapter until September!
> 
> I was pretty burned out writing this, but at least I think I managed to end it at a fairly good location.
> 
> Hopefully you enjoy it, and I'll be back with more at a later date!
> 
> A few notes though since there was some confusion, Johanna, Makoto's persona, is based of the fictional female pope, not the saint Joan d' arc like Sumi's new one is. Also, While Sumire was been getting a lot more screen time these past few chapters and will in the next one as well, it should balance out in the future.
> 
> See ya!

Chapter 8: Divergent paths

_Saturday May 21_ _st_ _, 20XX Evening_

"I'm home…"

Jerking up at the kitchen table, Kasumi rushed to the door. "Sumire! Why are you so… What happened to you!?" Panicking, Kasumi rushed to her sister's side. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. Sumire's face was pale and drawn. Her whole body was listing side to side as if she may fall at any moment.

"Oh… Hey Kas…"

"What's with the awkward greeting?" Kasumi replied, growing seriously worried for her sister. "Did you mistake me for someone else? Wait… Did someone give you something weird!? You haven't done any drugs, right?"

"N-No," Sumire stuttered back to Kasumi's relief. "Nothing like that. I just umm… was doing some training."

"Here," Kasumi offered, propping up Sumire so that she wouldn't fall over. "Must have been some pretty intense training," Kasumi commented lightly as they walked along.

"T-Thank you, and yeah… It was pretty hard. But… It made me realize something."

"What's that?" Kasumi asked curiously as they paused briefly outside of Sumire's room.

"That I didn't stay in gymnastics just because of you."

"Huh?"

"I love the sport. I want to compete in it and win… But also… I want to defeat you Kasumi. The real Kasumi…"

_Real Kasumi?_

"Are you sure you didn't consume any suspicious substances?" Kasumi narrowed her eyes at her sister. "You're talking kind of funny."

"Ha… Sorry about that." Sumire apologized with a weak laugh. "I just… I guess I've found my own light."

"Your light, huh?" Taking another side-long glance at Sumire, Kasumi felt like she knew what Sumire meant. Even completely exhausted and barely able to stand, Kasumi could feel it. Or to be more accurate, she could feel an absence of something Kasumi had just begun to acknowledge the presence of. That shadow of doubt and fear that surrounded her. Now, to Kasumi's eyes, it had been vanquished. The sight of her sister beaming, pure happiness on her face… It was transfixing.

"Yeah… and I'm going to help you out with it Kas. I know I told you this yesterday as well… But I can really do it now. I can really help!"

"I'm sure you can," Kasumi smiled back at her, heart hurting a little as she did. "I've always known you can do anything."

"Thanks Kas… Goodnight."

"Yeah… Night Sumi." Mumbling the words, Kasumi staggered back to her own room. The whole time, Sumire's words echoed through her head. Along with that smile, that blinding smile.

Kasumi hurt as she stumbled onto her bed. She'd never felt as pathetic as she did now. Sumire had done… something. Kasumi didn't know what, but it was clear that Sumire had gone and solved her own problems. She was the exact opposite of weak Kasumi. Rather than fight for herself, Kasumi had given up and made a deal to buy her freedom.

"Thank you for trying… Sumire."

* * *

_Sunday May 22_ _nd_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Umm… Can I get that one more time? I-I don't really think I understand… I'm so sorry Senpai!" Apologizing awkwardly, Sumire shuffled from side-to-side with her head bent low. Standing above the Shibuya crosswalk, the morning sun was just peering over top of the nearby skyscrapers, illuminating the crossing beneath. Compared to weekdays, it was empty here.

Sumire already felt embarrassed enough from having arrived slightly late. Her body had been completely exhausted from the events of yesterday that she didn't even wake up to her alarm clock until Kasumi came in to complain about the noise.

"We have some time I suppose," Senpai shrugged. "We'll probably have some more as well when we're waiting inside the palace. Anyway, the basis of the plan is that Ann is going to model for Madarame's pupil, earning her entrance to his house. She'll bring Morgana in with her who will then get that door open which Ann will show to the pupil, Yusuke. Around this time, we hope Madarame will come home from his early morning interview, and find the open door changing his cognition."

"Hehe, model nude…"

"Nude…?" Sumire queried, catching unto the word. Blinking in surprise, Sumire turned her gaze to the only other girl in the group. "Oh, I didn't realize you were into that Ann-Senpai… Is that where your outfit comes from? The latex and whip?"

"W-What!? No!? Ryuji, stop spreading lies you idiot!"

"Don't hit me! It's not my fault!"

Not heeding Ryuji's denial, Ann lunged at him. With Ryuji hiding behind Senpai, the three of them darted back and forth, forcing Morgana unto Senpai's head for safety.

"Actually," Senpai chuckled, ignoring the shenanigans whirling around him. "Our outfits resemble our rebellious will. In a sense, what we imagine as the ideal thief.

"Thief?" Sumire muttered puzzled. "I don't think that's what my outfit represents though…"

"Well," Morgana clarified from on top of Joker's head, "all of our outfits awoke in response to rejecting an authority figure. Maybe yours was a little different?"

"I…" Despite knowing very little of the world that the phantom thieves used, Sumire felt the truth resonate within her at Morgana's words. "You're right… It wasn't really about trying to get back at Kobayakawa or anything for me. I was just trying to help my sister… and help myself."

Blushing Sumire paused her words as all four of them stared at her. It was a truth that she hadn't thought about in a long time.

"I was so lost for so long… It wasn't until recently that I realized I had the power to change things within me all along. I found my light, my reason, my determination to keep dancing. That's what my outfit is about."

"It's about giving hope to others…" Senpai murmured, his eyes still those unreadable black pools.

"Y-Yes," I admit weakly.

"That's awesome!" Ryuji jumped in, flashing me a thumbs-up. "It's way cooler than a certain dominatrix that I know!"

"Another word Ryuji and I will kill you this time!"

"A-Anyway," Senpai jumped in. "We need to get on the train. Our timing is pretty tight here."

"Y-Yes!" Sumire agreed following closely behind the group.

* * *

_Sunday May 22_ _nd_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Today is the day…"

Hand shivering in anticipation, Yusuke put together the materials he thought he would need. Setting his easel just right. Preparing a stool for Ann. Doing and redoing a myriad of small things, Yusuke couldn't calm down.

He could feel it. Today was the moment of truth. Yusuke would paint the masterpiece of his dreams. The piece that would rival the Sayuri in capturing true beauty.

Glancing at his phone again, Yusuke couldn't help but shoot off another message. A small query to Ann wondering when she would arrive. Her first message had said she would be here five minutes ago. After a couple of impatient seconds, Yusuke received a reply.

Five more minutes.

Setting the phone down, Yusuke cradled his head in his hands as he waited.

"This is the painting… It has to be."

_Saturday May 22_ _nd_ _, 20XX Morning_

Walking through Madarame's palace, Joker silently led them through the halls they had travelled before. When the destination became clear, they began walking side-by-side. Without noticing, Sumire took the lead, walking slightly ahead as Joker and Skull flanked her.

Casting a sidelong glance at Skull, Joker had to supress the urge to roll his eyes as he caught Skull leering at Sumire's form. Her outfit, like Panther's, was tantalizingly revealing. It fully displayed her long, toned legs that she had sculpted through years of rigorous stretching and conditioning.

Walking like this, Joker couldn't help but feel like Skull and him were bodyguards for a princess. With the difference in palettes between them, it was hard not to get that feeling.

"Wow… This place is so weird."

Nodding, Joker didn't know what to say. Rushing through the previously cleared halls, it wasn't long before they found their way to the closed off area. Those sealed doors with a peacock-esque pattern transcribed upon them.

"So… This is the place that Ann and Morgana are going to open back in the real world?" Sumire asked as the three of them came to a halt.

"You bet!" Skull nodded, flashing her a thumbs-up. Something Joker was realizing he was doing fairly frequently.

"Thanks Ryuji-Senpai!"

"You should use code names," Joker instinctively berated her. He had no idea if Morgana's reasoning mattered, but there was no harm in being safe. If the real-world could alter the palace, it only made sense that events in the palace could alter the person in the real-world. After all, that was how the change of heart was truly conducted.

"O-Oh right! Umm… What are everyone's nicknames?"

Before Joker could answer, Skull butted in. "He's Joker, I'm Skull, and the other two are Panther and Mona!"

"I-I see… And what's my name?"

"Well it's…" Faltering, Skull had no answer.

"I guess we may as well brainstorm," Joker shrugged. "We have nothing else to do except wait for them to get the door open."

"Yeah! So… Uhh… What about… Dancer?"

"Very literal," Joker murmured, "but not bad. Especially coming from you Skull."

"Damn it, Joker. Why you always got to be so ruthless in here?" Skull whined.

"You make it too easy. Anyway, what do you think?"

"Umm… It's a little… literal, no?" Sumire hesitated awkwardly.

"You can say no," Joker teased her lightly. Pausing, he took a moment to take her in. Put simply, she looked resplendent in her outfit. It was so bright that it stood out from the general tones of black and red that the rest of them had. Calling her something as simple as dancer just didn't seem right.

"Umm… Okay Senpai, then… No!"

Nodding along, Joker smiled slightly as he took another look at her outfit. Staring at her from the front for almost the first time, Joker was able to take in more details that weren't readily apparent the first time he saw her. This was also his first time he had a chance to really stare.

"S-Senpai…"

"Hmm? What's up?"

"I-It's embarrassing when you stare at me like that…"

Tilting his head, Joker smiled at the strange girl. She was shifting side-to-side, her arms crossed in front of her. He couldn't exactly _not_ look at her though.

"Wow… what a reaction…"

"Stuff it, Skull. Besides, we still need a name…" Trailing off, Joker's smile twisted as his eyes sparkled with delight. "What about saviour?"

"Sa-Saviour?" Sumire muttered in confusion while Skull just looked lost.

The English word falling on uncomprehending ears, Joker rolled his eyes as he translated for them. "救世主."

"Whoa!? That's pretty bold!" Skull burst out. "But… It kind of fits."

"Huh?" Not expecting that response, Joker blinked in surprise.

"Saviour…" Sumire mumbled, her cheeks heating up. "Do you… Do you really think I'll be able to live up to that name?"

"W-Wait… You actually like the name!?" Completely thrown off guard, Joker didn't know what to say anymore. If Sumire wanted it, he couldn't veto the name, at the same time, he couldn't imagine saying it out loud seriously.

'Saviour, knock that enemy down!' or 'Saviour, we need healing!'

Even thinking the words made him want to chuckle. It was possible he would get used to it, but at the same time… probably not.

"O-Oh… You think I won't be able to Senpai? I see…"

"W-Wait…!" Caught on the backfoot, Joker didn't know wait to say anymore. His own joke had thoroughly backfired at this point and each second continued to wreak more havoc. "I-It's not that I don't think you can save people, it's just… The name's a bit… much, I guess?" True feelings bared; Joker waited nervously for the backlash.

"Ha… Maybe…" Sumire winced, still visibly down-trodden. "Why don't we go with Violet then? It's Sumire in English."

"Violet…" Joker turned the foreign word over in his mouth.

"Ehh? Kind of sounds like violent, don't you think?" Skull mused, scratching his head.

"…Do you want me to get violent Senpai?"

"H-Huh!? Ahh, no I just… Never mind."

"Please ignore Skull," Joker laughed quietly. "If you like Violet, then stick with it. If you want something else… that's fine too." Pausing, Joker tried to convey the fact that she could take Saviour or something else as her code name if she desired. There was no reason for her to appeal to his tastes.

"Ah no." Sumire shook her head denying him. "Now that I think about it, you're right. I don't deserve a grandiose title such as Saviour when I've done nothing yet. All I am is a flower, trying desperately to bloom and show off the true me to the world."

Smiling back at Violet's beaming expression, Joker laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll succeed, together."

"Uhh… I'm still here, you know that, right?"

Turning away from Violet, Joker faced a miffed Skull. Keeping his expression neutral, Joker simply tilted his head in query, as if not understanding the meaning to Skull's words.

"You seriously…? No, never mind. Do you think that something…?"

Like the world was listening, the gates cut Skull off by sliding open with an impressive display. The sequential movement of each successive gate creating a dizzying swirl of blue feathers.

"Beautiful…"

Silently nodding his agreement, Joker couldn't help but wonder if the door was from a time before Madarame fell into corruption. It was just so radically different from the rest of his palace so far with the abundant gold and identical portraits.

"What we waiting for?" Skull yawned, not impressed at all. "Let's turn that security off."

"Yes," Joker nodded heading off quickly down the corridor. He got the feeling they really didn't want to be caught inside the corridor when Madarame got the door closed again. "The room should be just… Damn it."

Swearing quietly, Joker hid along the wall, staring daggers at the security guard that wasn't budging. There was one way in, one way out. They also didn't have time to try anything else.

"Looks like we're in for a fight. Violet, just stay calm and trust yourself. You can do this."

"I know Senpai. I want you to rely on me."

"…?" Taking a quick glance at her from the corner of his vision, Joker didn't question the strange wording. Jumping from cover, Joker dashed to the alert guard. There was no point in trying to surprise it, the guard didn't have a reliable blind-spot to approach from.

"You dare infiltrate my Lord Madarame's beautiful museum!? Die thieves!" Yelling out, the guard's outward appearance melted away in a manner that Joker was becoming increasingly familiar with. In its place, rose up a monster. It was some strange amalgamation of different animal parts. Its head resembled a monkey, while it had the legs of a tiger and the body of something Joker couldn't identify.

"Oh my god… You weren't kidding about the monster part, huh?" Sumire mumbled, freezing slightly.

"Not at all," Joker smirked. Casting a careful eye over her, he wanted to make sure that she didn't freeze. While she had proven her power against the shadow of her sister yesterday, Joker understood how different this was. Then she had been proving something to herself, now this security was just a random monster that she had to kill.

"Let's hurry up and beat the shit out of it," Skull tsked. Taking his own advice, Skull called forth his persona to rain lightning down over the creature's head.

"For Madarame!" Crying out, the beast released a wave of curse energy over the three of them. Gritting his teeth, Joker rode out the wave, feeling only a sliver of his life drain away from the attack.

"Gah!" Crying out in pain, Violet collapsed to the ground. Her face was trapped in a rictus of pain from the attack that clearly injured her a lot more than either of the boys.

"Hang in there, Violet!" Joker cried out. Before the words were even finished, the security guard took advantage of the distraction to attack again. Leaping forward, the beast attacked with a physical move. The powerful blow knocked Joker slightly off balance as he stumbled, fighting to stay upright.

"You… Will not hurt Senpai!" Crying out, Violet pulled herself back to her feet. "Come, Jeanne!"

For the second time, Joker felt that golden light wash over his body. Breathing a sigh of relief, he felt some of the stamina that the shadow had drained away return. Casting an appraising look at Violet, Joker looked for any indication of a secondary effect. While he had been under considerable distress last time, he would have sworn that the ability had increased Sumire's strength. This time though… It didn't look that way. If anything, she looked faster now, slightly lighter on her feet.

"Jack Frost!" Unable to lounge around any longer and think, Joker used his go to persona to unleash its devastating ice move against the shadow.

"Haha…" Chuckling, the monster barely flinched under the assault.

"Tch, looks like ice is out then."

"Maybe," Skull smirked. "But what about good ol' trusty lead!" Whipping out his shotgun, Skull buried both blasts in the monster's face.

"Gragh!" Crying in pain, the monster retaliated, landing a blow against Skull. With his considerable vitality, Joker wasn't worried about him. That's what Skull was there for, taking hits.

"Try hitting it with an offensive move this time!" Joker called out to Violet, instructing her in combat.

"Umm… Yes Senpai! A-Alright… Let's do this Jeanne, Hama!"

"Ha! Your paltry attacks will never..."

With a slight flash, the shadow was cut off in the middle of its sentence. Its entire essence appeared to have been deleted by the holy symbol Violet summoned under its feet.

"W-What the hell!?" Skull screeched. "How strong are you!?"

"Umm… S-Sorry?"

"Don't apologize," Joker sighed shaking his head at her. "You did well." Ruffling her hair as he went by, Joker took a final look at where the guard used to be. "My guess is that it's an insta-kill technique. Further testing is obviously required, but to me at least, it looked like she exorcised the shadow."

"I… I think you're right Senpai." Violet agreed after coming to her senses. "It had a long activation time, so most shadows will probably be able to dodge it."

"I agree," Joker nodded confidently, positive that they had put the truth together. "Despite its limitations it will still be plenty useful, as you demonstrated."

"T-Thank you Senpai! I'm so glad I was able to help!"

"So you mean we won't be able to just blow up everything we find from now on?" Skull sighed dejected. "Went and got my hopes up for nothing…"

"Oh, come on," Joker teased him. "Wouldn't you get tired of leaving all the work to Violet after a while anyway?"

"Hmm… True. I got to say, fighting here is awesome. Reminds me of the thrill of my track days."

"…"

With no reply, the mood grew somber. Clearing his throat, Joker led the two of them into the security room. With a few keystrokes, Joker successfully deactivated the security system.

"I hate to say it…" Violet broke in cautiously. "But won't they just turn it back on the moment we leave?"

"Uhh…"

"W-Wait, you didn't think about this!?" Violet shouted in surprise.

Joker blushed awkwardly at the criticism. It seemed so obvious now that she pointed out. Why wouldn't the other guards just turn it back on? Except… They'd never encountered anything like that during their forays into palaces so far.

"I think… we will be okay." Taking a moment to compose his thoughts, Joker explained. "We've changed Madarame's cognition that the door is openable. Furthermore, we've defeated the shadow in here that guarded the operation of the security for the garden path. With both of those done, it will no longer be an inaccessible path because Madarame's cognition should have been permanently changed to register the fact that it _is possible_ to get through that door."

"Wow… You're so smart Senpai… When you put it like that even someone like me can understand it!"

"B-But I still don't understand…"

"Don't worry about it, Skull," Joker soothed him with a clap on the back. "Let's return to the entrance and wait for Panther and Mona."

"Oh yeah! Are we doing more infiltrating today!?"

"I'd like to. After all, we're completely fresh. No reason to waste an entire day only getting through the door."

"That's what I like to hear!"

"Hehe, this is quite exciting, isn't it?" Violet added on, sharing a smile with the boys.

Joker was glad she was quickly warming up to them. The metaverse seemed to do that. After having taken down Kamoshida together, Joker could feel the bonds between himself and the other thieves had grown a lot thicker. Or it could have just been from escaping near death situations multiple times.

"Huh?" Musing interrupted by a splitting sound; Joker looked up in astonishment as Mona fell from the sky right in front of them. Quickly following him were two more shapes. Panther and Yusuke. For some reason, Yusuke's arms were wrapped protectively around her. It didn't nothing to help him however as his personaless body was crushed under the force from the fall and trying to hold someone's body.

"…What the hell?"

With Skull echoing his thoughts perfectly, Joker scratched his head as he approached. "So… What led to this?"

"Hey!? Where are you touching!? Get off of me!" Ignoring his question, Panther first dealt with her own situation. Shoving Yusuke back to the ground, his head let out an ominous thump as she smashed it into the ground in her efforts to disentangle herself.

"Well?" Asking the question, Joker was glad that his voice sounded a lot calmer than he was feeling. Having Yusuke follow them into the metaverse was extremely dangerous. Never mind how they managed to drop halfway into the palace itself, this could spell disaster for their group.

"Urgh… Hey, the plan worked!" Mona crowed in satisfaction as he picked himself off the ground.

"Yes… Now why is he here?"

"Oh… Kind of followed us as we were running away…" Panther admitted awkwardly as she also climbed to her feet.

"Will he rat us out?" Joker asked, glancing between the two of them.

"No," Panther answered instantly shaking her head. "We discovered Madarame's treachery together. He's selling forgeries of the Sayuri for money."

"…I see." Turning to Yusuke, Joker paused for a moment as the boy picked himself off the floor. His tall, lithe body overshadowing all of them as he drew himself to his full height. "Well, what do you want to do with Madarame?"

"Do…?" The boy mumbled back clearly in shock. "W-Where are we?"

Rubbing his head, Joker realized he had started far too fast for a newbie to the metaverse. Having just explained the basics to Sumire this morning, Joker quickly recapped where they were, and what it all meant.

"Inside… Sensei's heart? This repulsive place… I can't believe it…"

"We should take him outside since he can't fight… Right, Senpai?"

Nodding to Violet's question, Joker waved an arm and set off for the entrance. The museum sounded thankfully empty. While this would disrupt their exploration slightly for the day, it shouldn't be too bad. Drop Yusuke off in the real world and continue from here.

Going back through the palace, Yusuke continued to grow more and more outraged as truths were laid bare before him. The repetitive paintings that showed the depth of Madarame's current talent. All his pupils that were no more than pieces to him. Yusuke's eyes were glowing with an indignant pride. The pride of an artist realizing the one they had looked up for their entire life was nothing more than a fraud. A man who took no pride or joy in the creations of his pupils, merely a perverse satisfaction in making money off them.

"This statue… I can't believe it…"

They had finally returned to near the infiltration point. Standing in the main entrance way in all of its glory was the fountain of youth. A continuous spiral of fresh, young artists that Madarame took advantage of to create his exhibitions and masterpieces.

Lowering his eyes from the sight, Joker had nothing to say to comfort the boy that had repeatedly driven them away. While Joker felt no camaraderie with him, his heart still went out to the boy who was undergoing a horrible series of realizations. The inescapable truth laid bare to his eyes. No longer could Yusuke hide from it.

"What of it?" A voice sneered. Walking down the ramp above them, Madarame was followed by two security guards. Joker realized it was his first time laying eyes on the shadow. It was as ugly, no, probably even uglier than Joker would have guessed based on the museum's appearance. While the strictly gold attire wasn't surprising, the long decorative crane's head sticking out of the top seemed a little excessive.

"S-Sensei!?"

"Ah, Yusuke… My favorite pupil. It really was a stroke of luck that you turned out to be so talented."

"How dare you!? I trusted you! I defended you!"

"Hmm… It sounds like you've been broken like the rest. No matter, guards, eliminate these thieves in my museum!"

"NO!" Yusuke yelled, stopping everyone in their tracks. "You trod on dozens of lives, ruining their goals and aspirations! If that wasn't enough, you defiled your own masterpiece, copying it and selling off replicas for profit.

"For too long I blinded myself and looked away from the truth, but no longer! This is the end for you Sensei… No, Madarame! With my clear vision I will pursue true beauty with a clear mind!"

"Tsk, impertinent brat! Guards, get him!"

"Grahh!" Letting out a scream, Yusuke fell to one knee, cradling his head as his outfit shifted. A shockwave of force emanating form him, preventing anyone from getting close.

"W-What's happening!?" Violet asked worried.

"You don't recognize it from yesterday?" Joker teased. "He is awakening to his persona."

"Ah… Not fun…" Violet murmured in sympathy.

Turning back to him, Joker understood why. Yusuke was leaving a stomach-churning sight behind as he scraped his hands roughly over the stone floor, four streaks of blood following his fingers. Even that pain though was no doubt inconsequential to the voice echoing inside his head.

"Come, Goemon!"

"Let's go," Joker smirked as the contract between them was finalized. "Violet, Panther with me. Skull and Mona, provide back-up and prepare to switch in."

"You got it!"

"Imitations they may be, but together they make a fine spectacle… Though flowers of evil blossom, be it known… Abominations are fated to perish!"

"Kill him already!" Madarame whined to his stricken guards.

True to Joker's predictions, they morphed into shadows and began to attack. "Are you ready for this?"

"Of course! No matter what it takes… I will bring him to justice!"

"That's what I like to hear. Keep a cool head and follow my instructions." Leaving it at that, Joker turned his gaze to the rapidly encroaching shadows. There were five in all. Four were copies of each other that Joker recognized from the palace. The last was larger and lumbered slightly behind. Even from this distance, Joker could tell that it was tough, and would hit hard with physical moves.

Turning back to the other four that were swarming, a large smile grew on Joker's face. "Jack Frost!" Releasing a wave of cold over them, all four of the small ones hit the ground, the ice attack penetrating their defenses.

"Amazing Senpai!"

"Good thinking Joker."

Not bothering to respond, Joker followed it up with a second wave of ice. To the already injured foes, the damage took most of the shadows' rapidly draining stamina. A stiff breeze should be enough to take them out.

"Panther, lower the big one's attack! Sumire, try your magic. Yusuke… impress me."

"Hee, as you wish." Smirking back at Joker, Yusuke prepared himself. With a stylish flourish, he summoned his new persona. It struck forward with its blade at the large shadow in the center that ice hadn't felled. The attack did decent damage. With Panther following up, the shadow's aura of decimation faded slightly, its power reduced.

"I'll do my best Senpai!" Brandishing her own mask, Sumire called forth her persona and used another move that Joker hadn't seen before. Rather than the circle of destruction from before, these were rays of light. Each one striking an opponent. With the damage added on top of what joker had done earlier, the four bird-like shadows burst into pieces, their final stamina drained, returning them to the sea of souls.

"Grr!" Seemingly upset that it was alone already and it hadn't gotten to attack even once, the shadow slammed its hammer against the ground. Not in an attack, but Joker could its aura of power returning, offsetting the effect Panther applied.

"If that's what it wants to do…" Shrugging, Joker led his party forward to attack it. One after another, their attacks rained down upon the shadow that was now hopelessly outnumbered. In short order it was destroyed, having not even gotten an attack off against them.

"It seems like Madarame fled…" Skull noted as he returned from where he had been resting.

"You didn't notice?" Mona scolded him. "He ditched as soon as Joker wiped the floor of his goons."

Smirking at the praise, Joker tried to reign in his cockiness as Yusuke collapsed to the floor, the fading adrenaline rush leaving him weak. His soul still desperately calling out for Madarame to return so that Yusuke could reap justice upon him.

"Let's get out of here. We have some explaining to do… And a plan to make."

"""Yes!"""

* * *

_Sunday May 22_ _nd_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

"Why are we meeting again? You know Kichijoji isn't exactly next to my house."

The detective's face didn't change expression as he patiently withstood Kasumi's assault, to her disappointment. Pulling up a chair she angrily sat down and waited for his explanation. The café was exactly as she remembered it last time. They were even sitting in the same chairs around the same table.

"Straight to business as usual with you, Huh? You need to learn…" Trailing off, Akechi's expression morphed from his typical detective prince outlook into the one Kasumi had begun to understand as his true personality. "My my, quite the change to see you with your hair down. Could it be you're trying to impress a boy you fancy?"

"You wish," Kasumi spat back narrowing her eyes at Akechi. "I was using my day off to get my hair cut. Not everything is about you."

"Uh huh. You're getting better I see, that lie was almost believable."

"I'm not… Ugh, you're impossible. Is that why you called me out here? To make fun of me?"

"You don't enjoy it?" Akechi answered with a small, fake pout. "Many girls would pay dearly to find themselves in a chair across from me at a café. Trust me, I've read the forums about how much they would be willing to pay to go on a date with me."

"Is that what you think this is? A date!?" For some reason, Kasumi found her temper fraying already. Akechi was being almost civil compared to some days. Even so, Kasumi was moments away from screaming at him and exiting the café.

"Isn't it? After all, we are a boy and girl of similar age, hanging out together. What else would you call it?"

"A client meeting with her obnoxious aide." Kasumi quipped back instantly. "Clearly you haven't learned the difference between professional and personal acquaintances."

"…"

For the first time since they'd begun these meetings and bandying words back and worth, Kasumi felt like she had gotten the upper hand. While Akechi tried to hide it, his eyes simmered with resentment, and just a touch of embarrassment.

"Hmm… I see you have sharpened your tongue, but not your wit."

"Huh?"

"This can't be a professional meeting, because there is no trail of paper indicating an official arrangement between us. All you have is my word that I'll help you." Pausing, Akechi leaned forward over the table to get closer to Kasumi. "So, if someone you know sees you with me. Then you will tell them that this is a date, yes?"

"…Fuck off." Blushing with embarrassment, Kasumi stood up. She couldn't deal with Akechi's bullshit, not today. She had better things to be doing than getting harassed.

"If you leave, our deal's off," Akechi warned as Kasumi tuned to do just that.

"…You wouldn't."

"Oh, I absolutely would. I get very little from our arrangement. The information you provide me with is nothing more than a curiosity, while without my services you are in a world of trouble. Do you understand now little girl why I'm the detective here? And why you do what I say?"

"Tch," blushing profusely, Kasumi sat down back in the chair with a thud. Averting her gaze from Akechi she stared out the terrace to where shoppers were conglomerating, moving back and forth as they browsed the interesting stores in this area. Kasumi barely understood how he did it. How every time she felt she was getting used to his banter, to finally holding the upper hand, he flipped it around.

"Much better. Things will go far better for you if you sit still and obey my every whim."

Looking out of her peripherals, Kasumi watched aghast as Akechi stretched his hand out and stroked it once through her hair. Even without making contact with her skin, Kasumi shuddered under his touch. Once again, the anger rose within her. Glaring at Akechi, she gave him her own ultimatum. "I understand how helpful you are Mr. Detective, but get no delusions that I'll become your willing slave as you exert your pressure to continue blackmailing me."

"Hmm, so it seems I've found your limit."

"…What?"

"My words, no matter how sharp aren't enough to reach the limit of what you are willing to sacrifice for my help. The mere thought of me touching though… Appears to awaken something within you."

"A-Awaken!? What are you blabbering about?"

"Nothing," Akechi responded with a knowing smile.

Crossing her arms, Kasumi shifted uncomfortably on the chair. She didn't like the knowing look in Akechi's eyes. As if he had discovered a new and interesting toy to play with.

"This 'limit' we will call it, exists for every person. You need to find Kobayakawa's."

"We already discussed this," Kasumi growled at the detective, thinking back to their last meeting. "I have an appointment with him at school on Wednesday. Trust me, I can handle that bully of a principal."

"That's why I called this meeting, to make sure that you can."

"Tck, you could have just asked last time!"

"You needed time to digest the plan and understand how much rides on your success in this endeavour."

"I know, I know!" Kasumi burst out, clenching her fists in anger. "I need to get him to hit me so that you can arrest him on my claim. From there, you will extract a confession from him to blackmailing a student, as well as collaboration with Kamoshida. After this, you will arrange a talk show to build on your current fame and claim that this whole time I was acting as your disciple and my appearances were bait to force Kobayakawa's hand. I get it."

"Say it a little louder why don't you," Akechi glared, "I'm sure there are some people in China that didn't hear you."

"Oops," flushing under his hard gaze, Kasumi took quick glances from side to side. Despite Akechi's reaction, Kasumi couldn't see a single patron that seemed to have heard them or was paying attention.

"Whatever. Now, what advantages do you have on Kobayakawa?"

"Advantages…" Drawing out the word, Kasumi thought it over. However, nothing was really coming to mind. She had no advantages. Kobayakawa had an inescapable grip on her as soon as that first interview aired. Opening her mouth to say such, Kasumi closed it again as she stared into Akechi's expectant eyes, eyes that were waiting for her failure.

Staring into the black surface of Akechi's coffee, Kasumi wondered if that was really true. After all… "Limits." Eyes lighting up, Kasumi looked up to stare triumphantly at Akechi. "I have no need to treat him as a principal. He can't retaliate without risk of having me break off the agreement and deal with the backlash to the best of my ability. Plus, he had put me in a position where I can fairly easily get another public appearance. If I use it to admit to being blackmailed and lay the blame on him, we won't recover either."

"Precisely," Akechi nods, his face an unreadable mask. "In a sense, you can saunter into his office and freely insult him. Call him by his first name, or even a nickname. He'll threaten to punish you, and you threaten to quit. Claim it isn't worth it anymore."

Kasumi nodded idly, listening with only one ear. Thinking about it, she realized she had done something similar the last time she had talked to the principal. Threatened him and stormed out without permission. Like Akechi said, no punishment had come to her because of it.

"You need to convince him of it. There is no room for slip-ups. As soon as the principal figures out what you're doing, or calls your bluff, you're finished. He will tighten the noose around your neck even more if he realizes how much your public standing means to you."

"I get that…" Kasumi whispers. "How… How do I get him to hit me? And why, I didn't really understand that part."

"Oh? Akechi smirks. "Admitting you don't know something. What's next, the sun rising in the West?"

"Insufferable man…" Kasumi muttered to herself, looking away as she blushed again. Kasumi hated that she always lost control of her cheeks during these conversations.

"Such an obvious thing as well…"

"Are you going to tell me?"

"I need a crime." Akechi answered simply, raising his hands in defeat.

"Extortion is already a crime, genius." Kasumi glared at Akechi. "Why do we need a second?"

"Physical abuse is more eye grabbing," Akechi sighed as he rolled his eyes. "We need the public to be sympathetic of you. Somehow, I doubt, 'I lied to maintain my honor's status' is going to garner much sympathy.

"What you need is to set Kobayakawa up as the ringmaster of everything. Abuse, Kamoshida, extortion, you'll become an even bigger public hero. …As my disciple of course."

"Of course," Kasumi sighed. "After all, I'm nothing more than the pawn you used to take down the ringleader behind the Shujin crimes, isn't that right?"

"Without a doubt." Akechi smiled haughtily. "Now, run through with me what you're going to say to Kobayakawa."

Taking a deep breath, Kasumi tried to compose herself. Even as she mentally overlapped Kobayakawa with Akechi in front of her, it didn't help. The detective's eyes were far cleverer, and in many ways, crueler as well.

* * *

_Sunday May 22_ _nd_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

"…And that about sums it up." Ren finished his long monologue while once again leaning against the railing above Shibuya crossing. They couldn't exactly stay right outside Madarame's house after he had threatened to sue both Yusuke and Ann.

"I see…"

"Do you though?"

"…Not really," Yusuke admitted wincing. Pulling himself to his feet, Yusuke stared Ren in the eye. "Please let me join you. I want to change Sensei's heart!"

"Of course," Ren answered easily, not surprised in the slightest by the demand. "We need to stop him before he ruins Ann's and your lives. However, before we do so, we need to plan out our days carefully."

"Yeah, we need to take care of Kobayakawa first!" Sumire reminded them, sounding very defensive as she did so.

Unable to resist, Ren ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to Kasumi."

"S-Senpai, y-you shouldn't just touch people like that…"

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Sumire's face wore a happy look that was completely different from her words. "A-Anyway, I want to deal with Kobayakawa this week."

"W-What!?"

"That's impossible!"

"Don't you remember how many times we had to enter Kamoshida's!?"

Waiting for a couple seconds for the instant dissent to die down, Joker explained his thinking. "We have six people now. Reasonably, only four of us can fight at any one time. This should give us the additional energy we require to carve a large path through the palaces. With having two at the same time, we don't have a lot of time to take this slow. I was thinking, Tuesday and Wednesday in Kobayakawa's. We send the calling card Saturday morning, and do the change after school."

"I mean… It sounds feasible when you say it like that, but still… Three days in a palace?" Panther replied uncertainly.

Seeing the uncertain faces, Joker just shrugged. "To put it simply, we have a deadline of June 5th to deal with Madarame. That means changing his heart by the fourth. That's the Saturday after next. If we don't deal with Kobayakawa by this Saturday, then we'll have both palaces to do in one week."

"Oh shit…"

"When you put is like that there really is no other option, is there?" Mona chuckles weakly, his usual bravado missing.

"I like the plan Senpai!" Sumire stood up for Ren, walking closer to him until their shoulders were almost touching, the two of them staring down the others. "If you want, I can go in some other days as well and do solo investigating."

"Too dangerous," Ren denied immediately. Thinking it over, a small smile played across his lips. "However, I suppose the two of us can always go if the others are tired."

"Like hell!"

"I'm not that weak!"

"You have saved me in my hour of need. I will not turn my back on you when you need help!" Yusuke dramatically declared, bringing that discussion to a close.

"So, the timeline for this week is settled then. Is there anything else we need to do before breaking for the day?"

"Yeah," Ann frowned. "What if Kobayakawa has an unopenable door? Won't that screw up everything?"

"It would…" Ren agreed tentatively. "However… I doubt it. After all, it is the school that has been transformed in his palace. There is no room there that only he can enter. Also, the distortion seems to be one of power. If you prove yourself strong enough, you can challenge him for rule of the playground."

"Oh, like King of the Hill!" Ann broke in excitedly, snapping her fingers as memories of playing the game seemed to flash before her eyes. "That makes sense!"

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, what are we doing for the calling card again, posting it around the school?" Ryuji asked.

"That is a problem we kind of ignored," Mona sighed. "It would suck if the school started being watched. It would become almost impossible to do anything."

"Well, only the person being changed needs to see it, right?" Sumire asked.

"That's correct."

"Then why don't we sneak it onto his desk. When he walks into his office Saturday morning, he'll be shocked to see it there!"

"How do you plan on accomplishing that though?" Yusuke asked doubtfully. "It is no simple matter to break unnoticed into the principal's office."

Yusuke's words put a damper on the conversation. Ren bent his head, going through possibilities in his head. Ever since awakening to his power of persona, Ren had begun to notice how lacking he was in certain areas. Yet again it seemed to be striking as his brain refused to solve the issue before him.

"Why not just let Morgana pick it again," Ann suggested like it was no big issue. "Show up early, waltz in and waltz out with no one any the wiser."

"Could work…" Ren mumbled, still lost in thought. "Dangerous though. Prone to failure."

"That office has a window," Sumire suggested, seeming to hide within herself a little even as she spoke. "I-I'm not sure if it will help…"

"A window, a window… Hey Morgana, do you think you can climb the outer wall to the window and get in?"

"Hmpf, what to you take me for! That'll be child's play!" The cat sniffed back disdainfully.

"You're being serious, right?" Ren queried, locking eyes with Morgana. "I can't make a plan built on you getting through a window if you can't actually get through it."

"W-Well… How high is it again?"

"Third floor." Sumire answered instantly. Ren got the impression she'd been there quite a few times.

"Could just throw him, yeah?" Ryuji offered with a happy smile. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"I am not a toy!" Morgana protested.

"Actually though," Ren found himself nodding in agreement with Ryuji's idea. "I like it. You'll be safe falling from that height. With a good toss to start you off, it should be pretty easy for you to get in through an open window."

"But why would the window be open?" Yusuke frowned, poking another hole in the plan. "Would not the principal shut it before he leaves?"

"Not if the A/C isn't working," Ren suggested with a nasty smile, calling upon his more carefree Joker personality to carry the conversation. "The system must have an exhaust somewhere, correct?"

"You're right Senpai." Sumire nodded along happily. "I think it's on the roof."

"A place no one goes and is left unlocked, perfect." Joker nodded as the plan slowly came together. "I guess, the only issue is if the Principal closes it as he is leaving the school. Any ideas on how to stop that?"

"Throw Morgana again?" Ryuji suggested happily.

"Ugh, as much as I hate the oaf's tone, he is probably right," Morgana admitted with a glare a Ryuji. "I can jam it open with a rock or something."

"Sounds like we have a plan then," Ren smirked, adrenaline coursing through him. "It will be our first heist in the real world."

"You bet it!"

"Now we just need to make the metaverse side work…"

Sharing one last smile, the group broke up and dissipated with the exception of Ren and Morgana. Standing atop the crossing, Ren waited for the politician he remembered to show up and begin speaking. There was a deal he wanted to make.

* * *

_Tuesday May 24_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Wow, you even have a tail… I didn't notice before…" Walking around Yusuke, Violet poked at the tail that came off his outfit. "So, your rebellious will… Is a fox?"

"Guh!" Snorting loudly, Skull tried to hide his guffaws behind a hastily risen hand.

"How cold…"

"Ah, s-sorry," Violet apologized instinctively. Blushing, she looked away from the group. She had no idea what she was doing. When she entered this world though… She just felt so much more confident. Able to speak her mind without worrying about the repercussions.

"She does have a point though," Panther laughed.

"She does… Are you alright with Fox for your codename?"

"Fox…? I would have preferred something like Davinci, but I suppose this will do."

"Yeah, no way in hell that was happening!" Skull informed him with a clap on the back.

"Our animal line-up expands," Joker comments casually.

"You're right," Violet tags on, nodding to Senpai's words. "We have three now."

"Yeah, true!" Panther nods along as well. "Panther, Fox, and Mona!"

"W-Wait, why am I getting added to this!?" Mona moans dejectedly.

With the group sharing a small laugh, the atmosphere quickly grew tenser. While they had a safe path through the first floor, there were supposed to be six more after it. Violet couldn't help but shiver as she thought back to the gang that had accosted her. Fighting through six more of those would be no easy feat.

Running through the first floor, Violet followed along near the back. While she had thought she would be the most familiar with the layout, Senpai took every turn without asking for directions. It was like he could see every corner in his mind and knew exactly where the stairs from before would be. Moving at this pace, it was only a couple minutes before Senpai slowed to a jog, the bright red stairs right in front of them.

Shivering from the memories, Violet climbed them cautiously, the doors still flung wide open from last time. As they entered, Violet froze in place, expecting shadow Kasumi to make another appearance. After a few seconds however, neither she nor the shadow of Sumire appeared.

"So far so good…" Joker muttered, his thoughts in line with Violet's.

Nodding silently behind him, she didn't say anything and no one else broke the tension in the group.

"There's a big room a few hallways to the north of here. It seems to be where the second group resides."

"How do you know this?" Violet was forced to ask at this point. "You've never been past here, right?"

"We have a map," Joker teased, flashing a shoddy piece of parchment before her eyes. "Unfortunately, it doesn't do any of the further up floors."

Accepting the terms, Violet still wasn't satisfied. Senpai had spoken extremely confidently for someone that hadn't even been looking at the map at the time. Also, his familiarity with the first floor wasn't one of someone that studied a map of the place.

"A shadow is coming."

"Huh?" Broken out her thoughts, Violet blinked in confusion with the rest of them. While she finally knew what they meant by a shadow after being in Madarame's palace, she was shocked there was one here. After all, she hadn't seen anything like the mass-produced security guards here.

As Joker waved them to the hallway corner, Violet surreptitiously looked around. True to his word, a figure rounded the corner and approached them soon after. As it resolved from the still heavy darkness that coated this floor, Violet was shocked to realize that she recognized the downcast figure. It was a teacher. Carrying a clipboard, their face was shadowy and unresolved, a mask hiding any features that may lurk beneath.

"These must be the monitors that the first-floor group spoke of," Senpai whispered to anyone in earshot.

"Are we fighting?" Violet asked, half nervous, half excited. It was just like before a routine, Violet could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins, giving her the ability to perform at her best.

_Not like I ever did…_

"Grr…" Growling to herself, Violet quickly shook her head and cleared the thought away. Rather than clinging on and dragging her down as they used to, she saw the way forward clearly. She, Violet, had underperformed numerous times in the past. But that's all it was, past results. Moving forward she would no longer let weak mental fortitude stop her from rivalling Kasumi.

"Let's go."

Caught slightly off guard, Violet was glad her body reacted perfectly, shooting from cover as Senpai leapt on the shadow, ripping its mask off. The teacher-esque disguise vaporized before her eyes, in its place a trio of monsters took form. Each one resembled a dice, one of the sides containing a large eye that rolled around, staring listlessly a the environments.

"Ugh, creepy," Panther commented.

"You got that right!" Skull jeered, stepping up as their first member.

Violet looked to the back where Mona was instructing Fox on what was happening at the fight would go down.

_That should be my place._

Rapier shaking slightly as she drew it, Violet couldn't help but feel slightly unprepared for the roll that had been thrust on her. She could tell that Senpai was including her in these fights to get her as much experience as possible. Yet, this was only her second time with the phantom thieves. The first she had barely done anything.

"Seriously?" Joker scoffed. "A bunch of weaklings. AOE attacks everyone." Following his own advice, Joker summoned his persona that unleashed a wave of ice at them.

Not to be outdone, Violet ripped off her own mask. She may be new at this, but she wasn't about to hold Senpai back. If he wanted to clear the last six floors in two days, Violet would give everything she had to make that happen. "Jeanne!" With her persona appearing, clad in golden light, Violet instantly felt more relaxed. Her persona looked so strong, so regal, that Violet struggled to understand how it had come from her heart. Her believes.

But… "I will be worthy of you… Go!" Waving her hand, Violet commanded Jeanne to release that wave of white light over the enemies like she had in the fight against Madarame's guards. "…Huh?" Blinking in confusion, Violet was surprised to find the three enemies' keel over to the ground. Instinctively, Violet could tell that she'd done something important. Her attack had done… _something,_ that Senpai's hadn't.

"Oh yeah! Pass ii over here!" Skull called.

"Do it," Senpai agreed in a commanding tone.

"U-Umm, alright!" Unsure of exactly what she was doing, Violet raised a shaky hand just in time for Skull to jump past her with a giant high-five. Shaking her hand in pain, Violet watched wide-eyed as Skull called forth his persona and ripped the last life from the shadows with a storm of lightning bolts. "Amazing Senpai! What a powerful attack!"

"Hehe, I know right!? Aren't I awesome!?" Skull preened under the compliment.

"Stuff it," Joker sighed. "That's what we call a baton pass. Each shadow and persona has it's own strengths and weaknesses. For example, Violet, here your persona's speciality, those light-based attacks hit these shadows weakness. Just like the security guard we fought on Sunday hit your weakness with its dark attack.

"When you strike a weakness, it… I'm not quite sure exactly what happens but it opens up the person who did it to another action. One of those actions is what we call a baton pass. It passes that extra action to another party member and powers them up."

"O-Ohh… I don't get it."

"Which part?" Senpai asked patiently as they started down the corridor again.

"W-Well… This whole weakness thing. What does it mean to be weak to something?"

"Like the basis for it?" Joker asked. "That I don't know. "I can only imagine that it has to do this the persona and their energy that they summon. For example, the persona I'm using right now, Jack frost, uses ice magic to attack. As a result, he is resistant to ice damage but weak to fire. …Make sense?"

"Y-Yes Senpai. I guess my question was kind of… Like back in the real world, lightning or fire would both hurt. It's not like I resist one or the other. So…"

"So why don't they kill us here? That one's easy. Our personas protect us and provide us with power. They're the reason why we can perform amazing physical feats here and endure attacks from shadows."

"O-Ohh… Sorry." Slightly abashed, Violet blushed from not figuring that out herself. Once Senpai put it into words, it seemed obvious where their power was coming from.

"It's more than alright."

After that, conversation died yet again as they continued on. With a fight beneath her belt, Violet felt more at ease with the group as she continued along. Sneaking past another monitor, Senpai didn't look eager to engage it in combat. Maybe he considered them too weak to bother with.

"Are those… classrooms?"

At Panther's mumbled words, everyone stopped and looked inside. Indeed, off of the hallway were classroom door like structures. Looking through one of the windows, Violet was shocked to see, rather than a normal classroom, it looked like a boxing ring. Faceless children were watching and jeering as a pair of students wailed on each other. Bare fists sending trails of blood flying through the air. After one particularly vicious blow, one of the figures fell to the ground. Rather than end the match, the winner bent down and did something out of sight. A few seconds later they stood up, a pair of pants gripped victoriously in their hands.

"This is horrible…"

"We… We have to do something!" Violet cried, looking desperately at Senpai. To her shock though, he shook his head.

"They are just cognitive beings, they don't really exist, we need to keep moving."

"B-But!"

"Violet." Laying a hand on her shoulder, Joker locked gazes with her. "I am not abandoning anyone. This isn't actually happening in the classrooms. The students are fine."

"Y-Yes… Sorry Senpai."

"It's fine. Let's keep going."

Staggering along, Violet couldn't wrap her head around what she had seen. If Senpais' explanation of palaces was to be believed, then that was how Kobayakawa viewed the classrooms. As places where students competed against each other, competing to see who would be the bully and who would be the victim. It made no sense. How could someone have such a distorted view of reality?

"We're here…"

Forced back to the present, Violet, once again, shadowed Senpai cautiously as he glanced around a corner into a larger room.

"They're here, let's go."

With no more warning, Joker strode forward out of sight. "Grr…" Growling at the impatient man, Violet dashed after him. Or was panning on it. When she saw into the room however, her legs froze. It was a gymnasium. Or similar to one. The entire floor was coated in hard cushions. Softer than hardwood and considerably more comfortable to fall onto. At the halfway point between them and the other side was a line of balls. There was really only one explanation for the setup. "…Dodgeball."

"Oh, hell yeah!" Skull cheered excitedly. "I could get down for some dodgeball."

"We aren't actually playing," Panther scolded him, rolling her eyes.

""We aren't?" Violet and Skull talked on top of each other in confusion.

"B-But how are we going to get the key to up without beating them at their game!?" Following it up with another question, Violet didn't understand. She had to surpass the Fearsome Five twice to get the card to the second floor. Sumire had expected it to be the same here.

"We beat the shit out of them of course," Panther answered with a nasty smile as she strode forward.

"O-Oh…" All of a sudden, Violet figured out where they had gotten that map from. No wonder they didn't encounter the fearsome five wandering the first floor.

"Muwahaha, you dare challenge us intruders!? We are the slippery six! Never before was anyone landed a blow on us. Our moves shall leave you speechless as…"

_Bang!_

"W-What the hell man, you shot him!?"

"Give us the pass to the third floor and the map you possess," Joker commanded turning his smoking gun on the leader from his fallen comrade.

While the move didn't sit quite right with Violet, she couldn't deny the efficiency of his actions. Besides, if they really were composed of those monsters then… Any sympathy she felt began to fade.

"Urgh… Uhh… You know I would give you the map but…"

"But what!?"

"I-it doesn't appear until one team has been eliminated!" one of the others complained.

"…That makes things easy, doesn't it?" Joker commented, throwing a sly smile back at the group.

"Y-Yes Senpai." Not wanting to disappoint, Sumire stepped forward as well, drawing her gun with the others. To her untrained eye, it resembled Senpai's except her gun had more silver accents. Pulling the trigger with the rest of them, the slippery six dissolved into dark energy in no time.

"And there they are," Senpai pointed out happily as a pedestal rose in the middle of the gym floor. Going over to it, it seemed like the contents satisfied all of Joker's conditions. "let's go, third floor time."

"Doesn't it feel… Like we're cheating?" Violet asked guiltily as they ran along. "I mean… I don't know."

"Oh yeah!" Panther remembered, "you must have played by the rules on the first floor, yeah?"

"Y-Yes Panther-senpai… I assembled a puzzle faster and won at an obstacle course."

"All without a persona? That's amazing!"

"T-Thank you for your kind words. I almost lost both times though. It also took a long time…"

"Haha, but still! I know I would have lost!"

Smiling haltingly back, Violet felt the beginning of friendship forming between her and the other woman in the group. Something told Violet that Panther had been missing having a girl to talk to.

Turning another corner, Violet was unsurprised to find another staircase up. The only difference here was the colour of the plastic stairs. Rather than red, these steps were orange. The third floor. She felt like they had just arrived and already cleared a floor. At this pace they could finish the whole thing today.

As Joker pressed the cheap paper badge against the door, it groaned as it unlocked and swung open. Walking tentatively through, Violet could instantly tell the difference between the floors. While the first had been extremely dingy, like a reject floor, the second had been the classroom floor. If that was true, then the third would be described as the recess floor. The faceless children were everywhere, joyous laughter echoing down the halls as they ran through their own personal mega-sized playground. Thankfully, it was even brighter here. Violet now had no problem seeing everything about the entrance.

"Once again you come here. Once again you break our rules."

"Be on guard!" Shouting, Joker quickly drew his knife and assumed a defensive stance.

Crouching on an alcove near the roof that Violet hadn't seen, was her sister. Or the shadow of her sister. Kasumi was glaring at them but didn't try to come down and fight them. With all six of them, she no longer had a chance of emerging victorious.

"For that, you will be punished!" Leaving it there, Kasumi disappeared.

"W-What was that!?"

"Wait here." Still calm somehow, Joker brought out his grappling hook and shot it at where Kasumi had been. Flying through the air, Violet couldn't help but be impressed by how he controlled his body. He may not have had any formal training, but his balance was exceptional. After a short while, he returned. "There's a secret passage up there, I can't get it open though."

"Amazing…"

"Do you think that's how she gets around so fast?" Mona asked, deducing the truth behind the girl's appearing and disappearing acts.

"Must be," Joker nodded confidently in answer. "I'm certain that these 'chosen' have access to secret tunnels that allow them to navigate through all seven floors easily."

"Makes sense… Did you see a door?"

"Kind of," Joker shrugs, "no obvious way to open it. It probably needs a special key like the normal doors all have their own. Let's keep going for now. If we find one of the chosen, however, we will prioritize taking them out and stealing their exclusive access."

"You got it!"

"Umm aren't you worried about her punish line?" Violet asked. "What if she does something to us?"

"If she tries, then we secure our access to the exclusive passages." Joker answered with a tight expression.

"Are you… Out for revenge?"

"…"

"Hehe," Giggling slightly, Violet was surprised to find that Senpai had this side as well. For a guy that never seemed to get flustered, seeing him embarrassed by being defeated and out for a rematch was an unexpected development.

"I just… Ugh…"

"Mhmm… So, which way is it?"

"It's just… Damn it! More monitors, a lot of them."

"Just call them shadows dude," Skull complained. "I don't need more jargon cluttering up my head."

"Yeah, Skull can barely function as it is," Mona quipped.

"Stuff it, cat!"

"Shut up! They're coming." Forcing a silence on the group, Joker led their way through the encroaching shadows.

"Urgh…" Panting by the end of it, Violet wanted a break. The fights had come one after another. No rest or time to stop in between. The only saving grace was that the shadows were still weak. However, they were stronger than the second floor. If the trend continued…

"We could really use a safe room…" Joker muttered as he scanned over the map. Chewing his lip, it was the first time Violet had seen him looking distressed in their time adventuring together. Even surrounded by Madarame's guards, Joker had been unflappable. "Alright, I think I've found one… Maybe."

"Well, let's go," Skull moaned. "I want to take a load off for a couple minutes."

"It's just… The map is strange in this section. I don't know what's over there."

"Only one way to find out!" Panther declared with forced energy.

"…You're right, let's keep pushing on everyone."

"As you decide," Fox moaned, breaking his silence as he pushed himself off the wall.

"S-Senpai…" Violet whispered as they walked. "What exactly was on the map?"

"Well, it almost looked like the path ended. But there were horizontal lines running through it at various places. To be honest I'm not sure…"

Blinking, Violet had to raise a hand to cover her eyes from the bright light she found herself bathed in as she emerged outside the palace. "W-What!?"

"Ah… So that's what that marking meant…" Joker muttered, as he led them further along the corridor that had become a dangerous walkway.

Once the initial burst of light faded, Violet was able to look up at the outside of the sprawling palace. The blinding light was that spotlight emitting from the top floor. Not quite halfway up the structure, it was still insanely bright as this closer distance. Blinking the spots away, Violet walked to the edge of the walkway. Despite being confident in her balance, her stomach still lurched slightly as she stared at the ground at least 20 metres below where they were standing. She hadn't realized that the staircases had been quite that big, but the distance travelled was evident from this perspective.

Raising her head, Violet looked around at what must be the back of the school. One of the turns of the slide was hovering out of reach at eye-level. More shocking than that though, was that it still looked like a playground. Even out here, there was a rope net covering a gap between two pieces of walkway, swings hanging over the abyss as well. True to their dangerous nature though, no one was using them.

"Well, this is uhh… unsafe?" Skull commented, trying to keep the mood light.

"Yes," Joker nodded stoically, "unfortunately, that's where we need to go."

"Y-You can't be serious…"

Even Violet felt woozy staring at the path Senpai had led them to. The bars across his map, they didn't refer to obstacles, they referred to the path. Rather than a surface to walk to the other side on, they stared at a giant set of monkey bars. There were only seven rungs, but each one was spaced two metres away from the next. Too far to jump from one side to the other. The person would need absolute faith in their athletic capabilities in order to cross it. Swinging back and forth to generate the momentum necessary to cross each gap.

"Well, should be easy enough." Senpai commented casually, strolling up to it.

"A-Are you kidding?"

"S-Senpai!?"

Ignoring the complaints, Joker puller out his grappling hook once again and shot it around the central bar. Using it as a swinging point, he casually allowed himself to fall across the gap and land on the other side. Not resting there, he pushed off and came back to the start.

"Well, who's first?"

"Amazing Senpai…"

"I'll take that as volunteering."

"Huh? W-Wait!" Unable to do anything, Violet went rigid as she felt Senpai wrap his arm around her, pinning their bodies together. The three second flight across the gap was both magical and humiliating. Getting to stare up at him from close distance was a dream come true as their bodies were pressed together. At the same time… It was embarrassing that he had simply picked her up without permission.

Blushing profusely from the experience, Violet shuffled impatiently as Senpai left to retrieve the others. She understood why he did it like this. Passing the grappling hook back and forth was a risky proposition with a chance of someone dropping it.

Next to come across with Joker was Panther. The girl latched comfortable to Senpai in her revealing outfit. With her arms wrapped around Senpai's neck they looked like a real couple. Pouting, Violet felt an irrational surge of jealously hit her. She had thought that Senpai's treatment of her was special. Apparently, he did it for every girl.

"Is something wrong?" Panther asked as she landed and Joker left again.

"O-Oh… N-Nothing!"

"Are you sure?"

"Well…" Tracking Senpai with her eyes, Violet saw her chance with the two of them being isolated from the other boys. "Does Senpai… I mean, umm, Joker, have a… a special… You know?"

"A girlfriend?" Panther laughed. "None that I know of. He's so quiet about his life though that I wouldn't be surprised if he was seeing half a dozen girls with none of them knowing about the others."

"Ohh…" Violet's mood did somersaults as different parts of Panther's speech came into clarity. With Mona landing on this side though, Violet couldn't ask anything further. The only sure part of her statement was that Panther and Joker weren't a couple. A fact that under any other circumstances would have relieved Violet immensely. The rest though about Senpai having the capacity to lead on multiple girls hit a little too true for her tastes. He did have that special aura about him that Violet had felt instantly during that first Sunday she had seen him. Violet may not have long if she wanted to win his heart.

"But do I…?" Mumbling to herself, Violet spent the rest of the time the group used to traverse the giant monkey bar set frowning disconcerted. The her that had relied on Senpai and the phantom thieves was the old her. The one that couldn't do anything. Could she really keep moving forward if she kept trying to depend on Senpai?

"A safe room!" Skull moaned in relief once the group was all here. Running toward the strange shifting door, he didn't wait for Joker to throw it open and collapse on a chair within.

Caught daydreaming, Violet was slow to react as the rest of the group set off, eager to find some rest. "Hey, are you alright?"

"S-Senpai!?" Violet squeaked, caught off guard. "O-Ohh… It's just…"

"I'm sorry by the way."

"H-Huh!? Why are apologizing!?"

"Grabbing you," he explained straight up, his black eyes holding her red ones. "I guess without realizing it I had become so comfortable with you… That I acted without thinking. I'm sorry…"

_Is he blushing!?_

_It's sooo cute!_

Quickly sticking a fist in her mouth, it was all Violet could do to not break out in giggles. After a few seconds of staring down her embarrassed Senpai, Violet finally composed her words. "It's okay. But umm… If you want to touch me, just ask first, alright?"

"Will do, thank you for… W-Wait, what did you mean…?"

"Who knows?" Beginning to blush herself, Violet raced off into the safe room before she said anything she would regret.

_Tuesday May 24_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Is everyone ready to go?" Speaking to the group as a whole, Joker was impatient to move on. Partly due to the time that they were losing. Unless they cleared the fourth floor today, tomorrow would take a long time. Perhaps more than that, his gaze kept flitting back over to Violet. She was lounging in the far corner by herself, not really talking with the others except when spoken to.

Every time Joker thought he was past thinking about her, that conversation made its way back to the forefront of his brain. How her gorgeous eyes which sparkled like rubies, had shimmered with delight as she spoke those words. How literal was she being when she said that? It continued to torment him as minutes of leisure ticked by.

"Yeah," Skull responded first, pulling himself to his feet. "You really should have sat down and taken a load off leader. Can't have you collapsing out there."

"He is correct," Fox added on with a sagacious nod. "I know understand exactly how central you are to the phantom thieves' success."

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I'm not tired." Joker answered truthfully. Whether the extra energy came from his wild card ability or something else, Joker wasn't sure. However, he was coming to appreciate the fact that his energy lasted longer than the others'.

"Where are we off to next then?" Skull asked, looking over Joker's shoulder at the map he had unfurled once more. What Joker hadn't told them was that the map was just for appearances. He honestly didn't need the thing. He couldn't explain why, but after acquiring it he felt like he knew exactly where every corner was and what hallways the shadows were patrolling.

"Crossing outside was a shortcut." Joker explained to them. "We're only a couple hallways away from where the stairs up are. I'm assuming that the group possessing the key card is there given that there is no indication of a special room anywhere else."

With explanations made, Joker led them out and on. One short battle later, and they were at the stairs leading up. They were painted an obnoxious sunny yellow that was far too happy for the atmosphere of the palace. Behind the staircase however, Joker frowned as he saw the telltale pattern of doors. Walking around it, he confirmed what his instincts told him. There was another area past here, one not on his map.

"They must be through here…"

Pushing on one of the large double doors, the cushioned door moved easily despite its size. As it opened, bright light assaulted him once more. Raising a hand, Joker proceeded cautiously into the new area. Back outside, his heart turned over beholding a massive structure. It was composed of the monkey bars they had crossed before. This time though, these bars composed an entire structure with a flag resting on top.

"It's a good thing we aren't planning on playing," Skull muttered just loud enough for the group to hear.

Nodding his agreement, Joker approached alone by himself. Unlike on the last floor, only two children appeared to be here. They were sharing a swing off to the side that hovered over an opening. Any mistake would leave them to plummet to their doom. Feeling a bit like a thug, Joker took out his gun and approached the two of them. It was clear from their sleeker outfits and actual faces that these two were the guardians for the third floor.

"You don't want to do that."

"!?" Whirling around at Kasumi's voice, Joker quickly locked onto the girl. Again, she was resting on top of an alcove that one wouldn't see until they were heading back into the building to the stairs.

Levelling his gun at her, Joker prepared to give the order to attack, when she simply pointed at the ground. Fear flowing through him, Joker followed her finger to where the rest of his party was being strangely silent. He wasn't sure how he had missed it, but a glass box now surrounded them. Their banging doing nothing more than creating small thumping sounds.

"You will play this game." Kasumi threatened him. "No cheating. If you try anything, I have the ability to drop them."

"Tsk. Fine, have it your way."

Agreeing readily, Joker took another look at his party and nodded once. With the gesture he tried to convey his confidence to win the game. If Violet was able to win without a persona, then he should be easily able to win with one.

"You two. I challenge you for the badge to the next floor."

Not answering, the twins sped up the momentum of their swing. After a few more passes, they dismounted. Their bodies twisting once in the air before landing easily right in front of Joker.

"We…"

"…Accept the proposal."

"When we win…"

"…We will…"

"…Take your badges."

"If you survive…"

"…That is."

Nodding his head, Joker accepted the conditions. He had no intention of losing here and resetting the progress that they had made. "What are the rules?"

"The first to grab…"

"…The flag…"

"…And return back to their…"

"…Starting platform…"

"…Shal be declared…"

"…The winner…"

Growing frustrated, Joker snapped at them. "Can't you talk normally? So, if I get the flag, you can try and intercept me?"

"Yes…"

"…By any means."

"Any means?" Joker queried. Eyes shimmering, a plan began to take form in Joker's mind at the phrase.

"Involving only your body." They clarified, perhaps picking up on Joker's intentions.

"…Very well. Let us start."

Turning away from the twins, Joker approached one of the two entrances to the structure proper. As he got there, he realized exactly how presumptuous his words were. The gaps between bars were too large to properly climb. He'd have to stand on one and use it to pull himself on top of the next. He would simply not be able to do it in the real world. Adding to the danger, Joker realized that there was no floor here. Only the bars existed, if he fell between those, he wouldn't be stopping for a long time.

"As you say. The competition…"

"…Starts in…"

"…Three…"

"…Two…"

"…One…"

""GO!""

The twins' voices overlapping with an excitement that he hadn't expected, Joker was slow off the block. Lagging slightly behind, he took a glimpse out of his peripheral to see how they would be conquering this course.

"W-What!?" Shocked, Joker forgot about the course to watch as one of the twins rapidly twisted around and hooked their legs around the shoulders of the other. The first twin ran to the first bar with the second hanging of them. Just able to grab the next bar, the first twin bent their legs as well, creating a symmetrical double body. Their swings quickly became higher and higher until they went all the way around. The upside-down twin grabbing onto the second bar and the first releasing.

"Oh shit." Now fully realizing the trouble he found himself in, Joker leapt up and grabbed at the first bar. Using his persona enhanced strength, he quickly pulled himself up. Placing a foot on the thin bar, he leaped for the second and tried to repeat the process.

As he pulled himself up it however, he could feel the fire burning in his arms. Each repetition required immense upper-body strength. Even as he struggled to gain each foot, the twins looked relaxed as they swung their way to the top, already grabbing the third bar.

Joker's hand instinctively went to his grappling hook. Freezing on it, he slowly released the device and stared instead at the structure. It was far larger than the exterior that he was climbing. There may be an easier way up inside. Hoping he wasn't costing himself the match, Joker grabbed unto the bar and swung forward.

Adrenaline putting too much force behind it, Joker's forearms contacted the next bar. Continuing forward, Joker grabbed at the bar as his hands went past. Groaning as the force pulled at his shoulders, Joker forced himself to keep moving. Swinging back and then forward, Joker let go and grabbed at the third bar. With the process of moving forward nailed down, his mind drifted. The interior was a maze. Each of the silvery bars reflected light in confusing patterns. Even as he twisted his head, Joker was unable to find what he was looking for. A section that was different. Some place where…

_There!_

Exhilaration coursing through him, Joker upped the pace, moving even faster across the giant spaces between bars. Right in the center of the structure, the sides didn't line up properly. It put bars at heights staggered from each other. A height where Joker should be able to navigate easily back and forth between them to quickly gain height.

Getting far enough in, Joker rested for a couple seconds when he got there. Looking up, he could tell that he had arrived in what was the central pillar. The staggered bars turning it into a really tall, awkward ladder as he straddled a ninety-degree corner.

Settling into a motion, Joker found that the exercise was easy work. Alternating right then left, he ascended far faster than the twins had been. Wearing a cocky smile, Joker declared the match as over. With this discovery he could reach the flag and be back down before the twins realized what had happened.

Pulling himself onto the only solid section of ground, Joker quickly pulled off the flag and tucked it into his bag. They hadn't said anything about keeping the flag in your hands after all.

"So you beat us up…"

"…Most Impressive."

"But can you…"

"…Beat us down?"

Paling slightly at the children that had managed to catch up, Joker tsked in annoyance as they split up. Abandoning their previous method climbing, the two jumped between bars like monkeys. Unable to easily go up, they were adroit at moving sideways. Each of the twins watched him like an orca eyeing a seal on a iceberg. Knowing that Joker would have to attempt a descent at some point. That doing so would leave his hands open for stomping.

Calming himself, Joker analyzed the situation with a clear mind. Each of the twins were hovering to a side, preventing Joker from going off to the side and potentially looping around them. Also, they were resting a few bars below the surface, faces calm.

_A bar below the surface._

Crazy idea filling his mind, Joker didn't stop to consider the consequences. Not caring about potential risks he threw himself off the platform and ran straight ahead. Right between the two of them.

Each step was filled with danger as Joker lunged from bar to bar. The dextrous feat pushing his limits to the max. Laughing wildly as he did so, Joker's eyes burned with the exhilarating thrill of letting loose of his calm, controlled exterior. From leader to maniac in a mere instant.

"No way…"

"…He's too fast."

Smirking at them, Joker kept going. A few more steps and he reached the edge, leaving the twins in the dust. Throwing himself off the edge, Joker turned around in the air and grabbed the pole with his hand. Sliding down it, his descent was quick, broken only briefly by every bar that shot off it.

Landing on the ground, Joker sauntered over to his pedestal and threw the flag down upon it. Not bothering to look at the twins, they were secondary. The person he had truly won against was shadow Kasumi.

She was still hovering in the alcove where he had first seen her. All Joker received was one quick nod of defeat before she disappeared again. Glancing to his party, Joker was relieved to see that they were freed from their prison.

Turning around at the sound of footsteps, Joker faced the twins confidently. "Hand over the prize."

"As you wish…"

"…This is your prize."

Catching the thrown object, Joker nodded confidently. The material and make of this badge was superior to the lower ones. Each one was getting a little fancier and more official. "Where is the map?"

"We only have a map…"

"…For the first three floors."

"Tch," shaking his head at the twins, Joker turned and left. There was no reason to fight them. He had everything he needed.

"Nice work out there, leader!"

"You were so confident coming down Senpai!"

Smirking at them, Joker waved his hand to lead them further in. He wanted to clear another floor today before they left.

* * *

_Wednesday May 25_ _th_ _, Morning_

Taking a deep breath, Kasumi composed herself before striding into the principal's office. Like she had rehearsed, Kasumi didn't bother knocking. She threw the door open and made sure it shut behind her.

"What the!? Yoshizawa, how dare you…!"

"Shut up," Kasumi commanded her principal. Despite all the preparation that Akechi made her do, she still felt sick to her stomach. It just felt wrong to insult someone in a higher status than herself. Someone who was not only older, but an authority figure to her as well.

"S-Shut up!? Who do you think you are talking to!?" Kobayakawa raged, pulling his bulk to his feet.

Taking advantage of his new position, Kasumi strode over to his desk and slammed her hands against it. As she did so, her face was only a couple feet from his. "I'm someone who has had enough of your bullshit!"

"Ha! Don't forget girl, I practically own you! You do as I say, and you get rewarded for it. If you don't…"

"I think you've misread the situation," Kasumi smirked back. "Can you imagine, just a little bit, in that small head of yours… what happens to you if I go on a program and confess?"

"W-What!? Y-You'd be ruined! I'd expel you from the school! No one will defend you!"

"Maybe…" Kasumi answered sweetly, "but… So. Would. You." Each word she emphasized by tapping the principal on the nose.

He stood there frozen. The only change he exhibited was his face slowly growing redder and redder. Watching the change, Kasumi tried to keep the smile on her face, but found it gradually slipping as the outburst she expected grew rapidly closer.

"I am the principal! I am in control of the school! I AM THE BULLY HERE!"

"B-Bully?"

"That's right! I have fought too hard to let a piece of shit high school student order me around! You know nothing about the cruelties of life! Leave now and pray I don't order you to do anything else!"

Swallowing, Kasumi almost did as he instructed. The rage in his eyes and voice were overpowering. Her whole life, respect for people in charge had been ingrained into her.

"…No."

"What was that!?"

"I won't leave. You are going to listen to my demands principal, or you'll soon find yourself without that title."

"Grr…"

"First, you overgrown pig, I want to be exempt from homework. On account of needing time to practice… of course."

"Impossible!"

"Secondly, Botan, I need keys to the school. All doors so that I can come and go as I please. That includes your office for when I feel like messing with you."

"Why you little…"

"Finally, little Bo-bo, you will start paying me 10,000 yen a week as a 'service charge' for the actions that I have taken for you. Do you understand? Or do I need to repeat it for your small brain?"

"SHUT UP!"

Blinking as spittle was blown in her face, Kasumi didn't even see the blow. Falling to the ground stunned, she laid there unable to move. After a second, a throbbing pain came from her left temple. Holding a hand to it, Kasumi groaned. The blow had been far harder than she had expected. Laying on the ground, she stared up fearfully at the principal who loomed over her from behind his desk.

"You maggot, I will ruin your life! I am your principal!"

"I… Yes, you are…" Breathing out the words of admission, Kasumi dashed for the door to leave. A mixture of fear and excitement filled her. She had succeeded on her end… But would it be enough?

Also, while she would never admit to anyone, there was a seed of fear placed inside her. That blow had shaken her in more ways than one.


	9. The inevitable fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Hello again!
> 
> It is September, and as promised, another chapter. I will admit, it is coming about a week later than I would have liked. Part of it was that I simply had less time to write, but I also struggled to get back into the world and the writing.
> 
> Anyway, once again things seem to be stagnated timeline wise as this chapter did not get nearly as far as I expected it to. Nonetheless, we will get there eventually!
> 
> So, I thank you for your patience, and please enjoy!
> 
> -asdf

_Chapter 9: The Inevitable fight_

_Wednesday May 25_ _th_ _, After School_

"Back again…" Muttering to himself, Joker took time to observe the playground. Even without entering it, he could feel the difference from yesterday.

"What happened, Senpai?" Violet asked fearfully from his side.

Turning around, Joker cast an appraising eye over his party. To a person they looked wary and slightly tired. The back-to-back days of metaverse exploration were draining. Not just the physical drain, but the mental strain of facing down death.

Not having time to rest between trips could prove to be deadly.

Keeping that in mind, Joker turned his attention to the more pressing issue currently: The playground. The light that illuminated its peak and fended off the darkness consuming the rest of the world had changed. It now resembled a searchlight, rotating in a slow circle, lighting up a thin slice of its previous brilliance. Beyond that, the palace felt like it was on high alert. A continual aura being given off that the security would be much higher than usual.

"The principal appears to on guard…" Joker answered Violet's query. "It's similar to when we send the calling cards, but I don't know why…"

"He can't possibly know we're targeting him yet, can he?" Panther asked, her voice warbling slightly. The minor inflection betraying a similar fear to Violet's.

"Thoughts Mona?" Joker asked the most senior member of the group.

"Uhh…"

Containing a sigh, Joker wasn't surprised that the cat didn't know anything either. After all, he'd already passed all of his knowledge on. And, right about now…

"Wow, Mona didn't know? That's surprising!"

"Shut up, Skull!"

"Cool it guys," Joker was forced to reprimand the two of them as they went off on each other again. "Unfortunately, we have no time to figure out what changed, let's enter the palace."

""Yes!"" Overlapping voices agreed.

Leading them in and up, Joker quickly navigated them through the first, second, and then third floors. As they climbed, the oppressive, intense aura only increased in strength. Previously, the upper floors had been swarming with cognitive beings. Children playing different games and the like. Now they were all… gone.

Even with the air emitting an aura that suggested significantly higher security, they weren't stopped. The 'monitors' from before also suspiciously absent. Concerned, Joker brought them into a safe room at the end of the fourth floor. This one had been especially dangerous the first time.

Shadows had thoroughly coated every corridor. Finally, rather than a game, there was a fight over the passage to the fifth floor. It had been close, but due to their extended roster, Joker had led them to victory over the guardians of the fourth floor.

Now, the next stop was the fifth. Before that though…

"Why are we stopping?" Skull complained. "We haven't even fought anything yet!"

"I know, I know," Joker agreed with pursed lips. Tapping his foot, he let some of his discontent show. Surprised to see their leader so visibly shaken, the rest of the phantom thieves exchanged nervous glances. Almost regardless of what they had encountered, Joker had never looked this perturbed before.

"Is… Everything alright Senpai?" Violet asked anxiously.

"No… I can't help but feel like we're being baited in."

"They removed all resistance to trap us somewhere?" Mona echoed in disbelief.

While Fox and Violet shared dubious looks, the original members nodded grimly. At the time, they had managed to emerge successfully, but there was no doubt that shadow Kamoshida had offered up his treasure as a lure for them. It wasn't impossible that something similar was happening here.

However, there was one important difference that Joker hadn't mentioned yet. That trap had come _after the calling card._ At a time when the thieves had essentially declared that they would be taking the crown. Now though, they shouldn't be prominent enough in the principal's cognition to elicit such a response.

"Nothing for it except to continue," Mona advised.

"Unfortunately, you're right… Should be interesting." Forcing himself to change out of brooding, Joker flashed them a fearless smile. Hoping that his usual, slightly reckless metaverse self would help instill some confidence in them.

"Dude, sometimes I wonder if you really are insane," Skull shook his head in wonder. Shortly after, a matching smile grew on Skull's face. The two boys quickly becoming fast friends.

"Ah, the unknown does have a certain thrill to it, doesn't it?" Fox added on.

Not waiting any longer, Joker waved an arm and led them out to the end of the fourth floor and to the stairs of the fifth floor. All at once, the feeling of being watched thickened even further. The security and feeling of _wrongness_ reached new highs.

"Guess the principal's a little nervous," Joker commented, hoping that would lighten the mood somewhat. Receiving nothing more than mild chuckles in reply, Joker doubted its efficacy.

Ascending the stairs and opening the door, Joker got his first look of the fifth. "…What the hell!?" There, hanging on a slanted blue wall on the far side of the room was a girl that Joker was keenly aware of: Yoshizawa Kasumi's shadow.

Each of her four limbs were bound in manacles and held tight. A continuous drip of blood fell from her left cheek, and above her head was the word 'traitor' written in large capital letters. Based on the crimson tones, Joker suspected with a sinking certainty that it was written in the same substance that currently fell from her cheek. As a final taunt, a key hung from her neck on a metal chain. There was no doubt in Joker's mind that this key went to her shackles. A punishment knowing that she could never free herself and no one would be willing to free her either.

It was a crucifixion.

* * *

_Wednesday May 25_ _th_ _, 20XX_

"K-Kasumi…" The wretched sound was pulled from Violet's disbelieving lips. Her whole brain froze over as she took in her petite sister's shadow in her tattered shujin uniform. The whole scenario was horrible. Made even worse by the otherwise calm aesthetics of the entry chamber.

Taking an unconscious step forward, Violet moved to free her.

"Wait."

Finding a hand on her shoulder, Violet looked up at her Senpai. His eyes were hooded, hiding any emotion pulsing through them.

"This may be a trap."

The words finally sent heat through Violet's frozen body in the form of anger. Freeing her stiff tongue, Violet lashed back as she ripped her arm free. "I don't care! She's my sister, I can't… I mean I won't…"

"Violet…" Panther murmured in sympathy.

"She's a shadow," Joker reminded Violet, his voice still held emotionless. "Your real sister isn't experiencing this."

"…I know," Violet answered sullenly, bowing her head. As the tears formed, Violet rapidly blinked them back. She had sworn that she was done with crying. "Even if this is a trap… Even if that isn't my real sister…

"I won't leave her like this! She wouldn't let me suffer!"

"Well… I guess there's no helping it then, is there?"

"Huh?" Staring at her Senpai in confusion, it took Violet a second to put everything together. His previous emotionless state, the current happy grin on his face. He had wanted to help Kasumi out as much as she did. "Senpai… You really are…"

The rest of Violet's words faded into oblivion as Senpai shot off, pulled by the grappling hook up to where Kasumi was suspended.

"Catch her."

"Huh? Y-Yes!" Taking a moment to understand that the words were meant for her, Violet dashed over as well, positioning herself below her sister as Joker undid her chains one by one. The weight on each limb increasing as Joker freed them one by one, attempting to make the process as painless as possible. Unfortunately, there was still a period of time where Violet couldn't help but gulp as Kasumi hung by only one arm, the manacle digging painfully into her wrist.

"Uff!" Huffing, Violet staggered slightly upon catching the shadow.

As gently as possible, Violet lowered the body to the strange, somewhat soft floor. The mats that coat the ground do not have enough springiness that either of them had been comfortable simply dropping her.

Seeing her cheek up close, Violet gagged. Throwing a hand over her mouth was all that kept her from retching. Across her face was clearly a punch wound. The bruised outline of all four fingers could be clearly tracked. That wasn't the worst part. Where the knuckles should have been, were four gory puncture words. Some piece of metal or something had broken through the skin, causing the bleeding that Violet had been witnessing.

"Dia."

"…?" Glancing around, Violet found Senpai who had wasted no time in using his own mental energy to begin patching up Kasumi.

"I've changed my mind," Joker spoke, his voice hard and loud enough for everyone to hear. "This isn't a trap. I'm guessing Kasumi did something in the real world. Something to make the principal feel betrayed."

"So that's why the palace is like this…" Mona agreed, "it makes sense."

"Do you think she'll help us?" Panther wondered.

"Urgh…"

As if answering Panther, a moan of pain came from between Kasumi's lips. A moment later, her eyes fluttered and opened. As lucidity slowly returned, no one said anything. Violet hung over her body, watching her with cautious eyes. Despite her earlier words to Senpai, Violet understood how strong this shadow was. It had taken everything she had last time to fend her off.

"You… Rescued me? Why?" The words were hoarse and filled with confusion. It was clear that the shadow's mental capacity still wasn't running perfectly.

"I couldn't leave you there Kasumi!" Violet responded instinctively. "You're my sister…"

"…Sister? I've never met you before in my… Wait… Urng!" The words that started confidently deteriorated into uncertainty before Kasumi gripped her head in pain. "What are these images!?"

"H-Huh!?" Violet panicked. "S-Senpai, what's happening to her!?"

"I wonder…" The unhelpful words were mumbled as theories began ravelling themselves behind his shining eyes.

"Wow, did she forget our fight last time?" Skull muttered out loud.

"That seems strange," Fox agreed. "When we were here yesterday, she appeared to have recognized you from earlier."

"But if the shift in cognition was large enough…" Joker wondered aloud, finally giving voice to his thoughts. "Then this shadow Kasumi is essentially a completely separate existence from the one we encountered last time."

Joker's words struck Violet like a thunderbolt. The meaning of 'shadow' and 'cognitive being' were becoming increasingly clear. They were figments of the ruler's imagination. Nothing important, certainly nothing worth crying over.

Yet how did she reconcile that from the pain and confusion in Kasumi's eyes?

The clashing of wills she had experienced when she had awoken to her persona?

"Well?" Kasumi glared, some more life returning to her. "What do you want from me? Who are you that you would go against the supreme bully's orders?"

"Put simply, we're here to dethrone him." Joker spoke with a slight smile touching his lips.

"…So, you mean to keep climbing?" Kasumi asked warily.

Violet's gaze flickered between the two of them, not understanding why shadow Kasumi cared. She had thought that the girl would be ecstatic to be freed from her torture.

"That's right." Joker nodded. "It would be a big help if…"

"So, you criminals refuse to even leave this one to her punishment?" A voice interrupted. "…I had planned on waiting until the next floor to deal with you myself according to the rules but…"

"Then you should obey the rules, shouldn't you?"

Caught in no man's land, Violet threw her body to the side so that she could observe the newcomer. What she saw made her jaw drop. She had heard about it from the original thieves, but actually seeing the person was completely different. Standing there imperiously, with the same hard red eyes that Violet remembered, was the Shujin student body president.

Every detail the same… except this one barely topped a metre in height.

Confronting her was the shadow Kasumi.

"Wait for your time like a good girl. The guardian of this floor will dispose of them."

"…Very well."

With no more discussion, the president left as quickly as she had come.

"…I'm guessing you won't be helping us then?" Joker asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I…" The shadow seemed torn. Swaying slightly with her hand on her head, she took another confused look at Violet. "I have to go… Perhaps we will… No, I'm sure I will meet you again."

Left speechless, Violet wanted to say something, but couldn't think of anything. In no time at all, the room was empty, only open manacles and bloodstains to remind them of the scene they had walked in on.

* * *

_Wednesday, May 25_ _th_ _, 20XX, Afterschool_

"…It's getting more visible already." Touching her left cheek, Kasumi stared at her reflection in the girl's bathroom. The mirror scrubbed spotless every day displayed her colouring cheek perfectly.

Kasumi had found an excuse almost every hour to come and check on her reflection. Over time, her cheek had changed from its usual whitish tone to a more red and purple disfiguration.

While it was still faint, Kasumi was pretty sure that it would continue to grow worse as time ticked by. Taking out her bag, Kasumi retrieved her small make-up set that she brought with her. Growing up, Kasumi had often been praised as a 'natural beauty'; however, that phrase undermined the huge amount of work and religious moisturizing that Kasumi utilized to attempt to compete with Sumire's looks. In the small make-up bag were a pair of foundations. One matching her skin tone and one a shade lighter.

Pulling out the lighter one, Kasumi tested its ability to cover the wound. Each smattering of the retractable brush left a small blotch of the substance. Waiting for a while, Kasumi spread it around to a small, even layer.

"…Doesn't work, huh?" Muttering in discontent, Kasumi shot an anxious look to the entrance as she heard a group of loud voices pass by. Although school had ended with no one picking up on the wound, Kasumi was still worried that someone would enter and see the injury.

Belatedly, around lunch, as Kasumi realized it would show prominently in the coming days. The problem arose in that she had no story arranged for how she received the injury. Or even if she should let people see it. While it was painful to admit, Kasumi knew she would have to phone Akechi. Both of them had failed to predict this outcome.

With the first layer of foundation finished, Kasumi moved onto the second layer, this time utilizing the make-up that matched her skin tone. Applying it with dextrous skill, Kasumi was extremely proficient at the application of make-up. She had long since been forced to learn its application for competitions where the dancers tended to use quite a bit.

Lowering the brush, Kasumi forced herself to give a wide, competition smile. The action dimpling her cheeks and highlighting the mole beneath her eye more. For many years now, Kasumi had considered that mole a mark of her struggle in life. Her face was the blemished one, the imperfect one. She had ordinary features, brown hair and brown eyes. She wasn't gifted with perfect skin and exotic hair like her sister. Instead, she had to fight for every single inch, every point by launching herself brashly ahead.

"Boldness… My boldness defines me." Muttering to herself, Kasumi ripped her eyes off the mirror and the unblemished cheeks in the reflection. Reaching a hand down to her school-mandated bag, Kasumi withdrew her phone and went to speed dial. The first number listed having received far more uses than Kasumi would have liked.

* * *

_Wednesday, May 25_ _th_ _20XX, After school_

Joker's thoughts were still a mess as he lodged a bullet inside of a begging shadow. The screams disappearing as its body turned into dark energy and retreated into the ether.

He hadn't heard a word that the shadow had spoken. While a faint feeling of guilt pulled at him, it still wasn't enough to stop Joker from simply going through the motions. Finally, on the fifth floor, he had found a region similar to Kamoshida's palace. A maze of tunnels with shadows lurk

ing inside. Based on the flashing colours and general darkness, Joker was sure it was supposed to be a giant laser tag arena. In his current state of mind though, the fun arcade-like section did nothing to soothe him.

It wasn't just him either, Joker confirmed with a furtive glance over his shoulder. The rest of the thieves were listless as well. None of them could stand still after witnessing the torture of Kasumi's shadow and then how they had argued with each other.

It had been so lifelike, so believable, that Joker had honestly forgotten for a moment that they were shadows.

That scared him.

These cognitive beings within palaces should be no more real than a dream. Nothing more than the creation of a being, resembling someone from the real world, that the ruler of the palace knew. In this case, Kobayakawa knew the Yoshizawa sisters as honour students within his school. Therefore, it made sense that he would visualize them as beings protecting his palace from invasion.

Except… How then to take this most recent change? Finally ripping his mind away from the unsettling potential cognitive beings have for emotions and intelligence, Joker focused solely on the change in cognition that had occurred.

Surely there was a way to use it, to use how the cognitive beings had changed to achieve their goal easier. However, no matter how hard he racked his brain as he made his way through the flashing-light corridors, nothing came to mind.

It was extremely frustrating. This was not the first time, that recently, Joker felt like he was letting down those following him by being an incapable leader.

He was almost glad when another shadow showed up. The masked shujin student walking the halls stiffly with a toy gun cradled in their small arms. Letting it take one more oblivious step towards where he remained crouched around the corner, Joker burst forward.

The familiar attack went off without a hitch. Within a second of the shadow's form being exposed they had it surrounded. With the advantage of surprise on their side, the thieves struck first. Leading them in the assault, Joker ripped into the lone figure with his knife. Three more attacks later, a pitiful scream echoed briefly prior to the shadow dissolving.

It had been a good vent for his anger and uncertainty, but it wasn't nearly enough. Looking at his hand, Joker clenched it into a fist for a moment before releasing it and repeating the action a few more times.

"Senpai… Are you…?"

"Let's go." All that was important right now was getting through this and changing the principal's heart. Save Kasumi from the circumstances that she found herself in and move unto helping Yusuke and proving their justice to the world.

A few turns later, they found the exit of the maze. The darkness within the game area faded as light took over again. A general ambiance with no noticeable source. Walking a few feet further down the hallway, Joker's feet came to an abrupt halt.

"Well, that's an obvious trap."

The area ahead of him opened up into a wide room. The floor possessing a divide in the middle that he would walk on if he continued for another step. It was obvious to everyone looking that the floor would part, dumping anyone unlucky enough to be on it. Dumping them where, Joker didn't want to know.

_Crick._

"Hmm?" Tilting his head, Joker was sure that he had heard something. Not quite like wood groaning, more like something slipping. A plank being used as a bridge that didn't possess the friction to bear the weight on it. "Uh oh."

The words turned breathless as the area below Joker's feet collapsed. The square which upon only he stood opening into a smaller replica of the same trap that he had suspected the next room to be.

"SENPAI!"

"JOKER!"

The screams of his party filled the air. Feeling like he was falling in slow motion, a single, soft word echoed in his ears above all the yelling.

"Idiot…"

Hoping against all hope, Joker stuck a hand up. No way to reach the ledge, but…

"Huff!"

With a large exhale, a strong, yet small, hand wrapped around his own. Smiling like nothing was wrong, Joker waited to get pulled back up to safety.

"Huh? W-Wait!" Joker's plea went unanswered as he felt his body grow weightless. With a giant tug on his right arm, he felt himself flipping through the air. After countless rotations, Joker landed hard on his back, a spike of pain running through his head. "…Ow."

"S-Senpai!? A-are you alright!?" Half a second later two large red eyes filled his blurry view.

"Just grand…" He groaned back, forcing himself to begin the long process of standing up. With aid from Violet, Joker managed to get into a sitting position and get a view of his saviour.

Standing there, in a new and fresh Shujin uniform, was none other than a miniature Kasumi. Even as a child, she looked imposing as she strode toward him.

"I thought you'd get through here easily, but here you are getting held up by such an easy illusion…"

"Uh… Sorry?" Joker apologized. Glancing at the ground, he confirmed that he'd been thrown unto the 'trap' that he identified earlier. Looking at it now, it seemed obvious that this was the solid ground while the hallway leading up to it contained the trap. After a few more seconds, the rest of the thieves easily cleared two-metre gap that Joker had fallen into.

"Tch… Well, don't expect any more help…"

"Why did you help?" Joker asked before she could leave.

"…"

"Come on Kas!" Violet pleaded from beside him. "After what happened to you… I mean, the condition you were in… Help us! You must want to beat Kobayakawa as much as we do!"

"…You don't know what you're asking me to do."

The words were quiet and hard, but the shadow did stop retreating. She looked awkwardly to the side, away from all of them. After a few more seconds, her face hardened.

Joker wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a flicker of pain run across her visage.

"Very well. Follow me before that annoying minion shows up again."

"Thank you."

"I always believed in you Kas!"

"…Don't call me that!" The shadow repudiated Violet harshly. "…Please."

Hiding his smile, Joker was positive that he was the only one that heard that final word. Something was going on with the shadow that led them to a solid wall, but the suspicious line of thinking was quickly removed when the wall opened up under her touch.

"Stay close to me."

Obeying, Joker placed himself on her heels as the rest of the thieves struggled to get in before the wall slid shut again with a soft whir. The technology behind it at ends with the playground appearance. The passages through the walls completely dropped that pretense.

Inside, there were screens everywhere, on them were displayed the scene on the other side. It would be easy for someone to monitor the situation on a floor simply by navigating this area. Small pipes ran up and down, no doubt providing the framework and capabilities for the traps and other features that the playground possessed.

_Was that word even accurate for this palace?_

It had to be. Afterall, that was the word that the metanav accepted. It was just that Kobayakawa's view of one was so distorted that it could hardly be considered one by an average person.

The security, the spying, the monitors, the searchlight, the endless shadows outside. There was only one word to describe Kobayakawa based on all these features: paranoid.

"We will have to cross one section of the floor and we will be there."

"Will there be fighting?" Joker asked, tensing up in anticipation.

"No." The girl denied, shaking her head. "Well… only if you screw up."

Ominous words aside, the wall in front of them opened again with another faint whirring sound. From this side, it was far easier to see how she did it. A small button, that once depressed engaged the mechanism.

"We cross here."

"…O-Oh." Eyes widening, Joker whistled softly at the impressive display. Before him was an expansive indoor chamber. Trampolines were stretched over the gap in sections, forming a path across. There were two solid platforms between them and the far side where the grand door up to the sixth floor resided. Beneath the trampolines, were shadows. Meaning if they fell off, they'd be caught in battle.

The shadow's words came rushing back to mind. _No. Well… only if you screw up._ The answer simplified the terrifying reality of their circumstance. Falling would spell almost instant death. Running or fighting would be almost impossible. Only if they fell early on near the exit would they have a chance. Near the far side, there was no exit, only the one at the start.

"Let's go."

"Ohh! I really like trampolines!"

Unable to stop her, Joker watched helplessly as Violet took up the challenge first, bounding after the shadow. Taking a step to follow instantly, Joker came to an abrupt stop due to the breathtaking sight.

"Ah, how beautiful…" Fox murmured, succinctly summarising everyone's thoughts.

The shadow Kasumi would make a jump from one trampoline to the next, and Violet would replicate the feat. Neither of them were just jumping either. Every bound was done with grace and poise, even the occasional flip thrown in.

In no time at all the display was done, the two girls landing safely upon the first safe point. "Come on Senpai! It's fun!"

"Right behind you!" Calling on some of that boundless confidence, Joker stepped off the platform. Relying on the enhanced reflexes and strength provided by his persona, Joker jumped off the first one and into the air. Feeling the weightlessness as he descended to the center of the next one, he let loose a boundless smile.

Not to be out done, Joker replicated their feat of landing and bouncing from one trampoline to the next. Landing on the platform, he stumbled only half a step before coming to a halt.

"Not so bad." The shadow admitted.

"Wow, you're were great out there Senpai! Maybe Trampoline is your next calling?"

"Me? The two of you were incredible." He answered sincerely, the praise falling easily from his lips.

"M-Me!?" Violet blushed, the visible tips of her ears changing colour to match her tied back hair. "O-Oh no, those were just simple gymnastics maneuvers I utilized to get across."

"Ugh, get a room." The shadow groaned, staring at the rest of the thieves. "And tell your followers to be less useless."

Trying not to react to the shadow's comments, Joker took one last glance at Violet before turning to look at his party. She was rubbing her hands together shyly, one foot tapping on the ground as she diverted her gaze. The cute pose making Joker's heart beat erratically once.

Breathing deeply, Joker watched the rest of his party struggle. Well, struggle was a harsh way to describe it. Each of them were using their above normal dexterity to swiftly navigate the trampoline peril. It was only compared to the previous crossings that made these look like a struggle.

"This platform is a bit small, let's keep going."

"You got it Kas!"

"Don't call me that!"

Ripping his gaze away from the people that were almost here, Joker looked for the first time at the next set. "Dear god…" Swearing under his breath, Joker realized what was happening. Each section was going to be harder than the last. Rather than the straightforward line of the first section, these trampolines were staggered in a repeating pattern. One would have to stop their momentum on one trampoline before launching themselves into the abyss to reach the next.

Waiting, Joker watched the shadow to see how she would deal with the trampoline puzzle. With no pomp, she hurled herself off the edge onto the first trampoline. Landing on the close corner, she transitioned her velocity into a large leap for the second. With perfect control, she arced down into the middle of the far side of the next. Cancelling her sideways momentum, the trampoline launched her back the way she had come horizontally while her forward momentum was preserved.

"Impressive…" Muttering the word under his breath, Joker knew he wouldn't be able to replicate this.

"Hehe, watch out Kas!" Not to be outdone, Violet followed her sister's shadow through the second obstacle.

"These two…" Shaking his head wryly, Joker followed them into danger with a large smile on his face. Once again, he made his way across with only a small bit of difficulty. When he landed roughly on the platform, with far more horizontal velocity than strictly necessary, Joker cast a nervous glance at the two figures in front of him.

It was clear at a glance that something had occurred between them before he got here. They were standing at the far edge, bodies facing the next trampolines, but heads turned to each other. If forced to guess, Joker would have said that they were preparing to compete.

"Are you two…?"

"S-Senpai!? Y-You got across already. Amazing!"

"Haa… That's really a word that should be saved for the two of you," Joker laughed off the praise. "How hard is this last section?"

"You may fall," the shadow smirked before Violet could reply.

Sending her a pouty glare first, Violet gave Joker a more serious answer. "I think we can do it. Just take it slow and plan your jumps."

Walking up beside her, Joker shook his head at the obstacle ahead of them. The assortment of trampolines was seemingly random. Unlike the last two sections, there was no identifiable pattern here. Every jump would be different and require preparation. Especially…

"What about that big gap?"

"Hmm? Scared?" The shadow taunted once again.

"You know… Your confidence certainly came back quickly." Joker remarked, with a sly sideways glance.

"Tch. Whatever. If you fall, you're on your own."

"We won't!" Violet confirmed for her.

Watching her carefully, Joker couldn't help but feel a jolt of apprehension at their relationship. She was getting far too close to this shadow of her sister. Maybe as a way to make up for their relationship in real life, or maybe just an inability to separate the two, Violet was growing attached way to quickly. Joker worried that when the time came to part, Violet would be unable to do so.

"…Something wrong?" The girl in question asked. Turning around before jumping off, she sensed Joker's gaze upon her.

"…Nothing. Stay safe."

"I will!" With a beautiful smile, she stepped out onto the first platform without even looking at it.

Walking over to where she had departed from, Joker, once again, found himself unable to tear his vision off her. Her beauty as she flipped through the air was transfixing. An unhealthy surge of possessiveness overtook him as he watched.

Dismissing the feeling with a rough shake of his head, Joker stepped unto the final obstacle of the floor. He didn't even bother trying to emulate the speed that the shadow somehow kept over the obstacle. Even Violet was no longer able to transition between each trampoline in a single bounce.

Giving himself time to collect his bearings, Joker gathered height before bending his legs and launching himself at the next one. Flipping once completely in the air, he landed solidly in the center of the next one. Keeping his knees bent, Joker absorbed the momentum, cancelling his speed. Standing up, he turned to locate his next objective.

"W-What the hell is this!?" Skull screeched from behind.

"Not your speed?" Joker taunted back with a smile. One by one, the thieves were assembling on the final platform.

"Yeah Skull, you may as well turn back now!" Mona taunted, his voice only quivering right at the end, betraying some of his own fear.

"Y-Yeah!?" Skull shot back clearly not noticing it. "I-I'll show you!" With no more pomp, Skull leapt unto the first trampoline, almost bouncing off the far side in his haste.

"Slow down!" Panther scolded him harshly. "You'll die for real if you fall off here!"

"I-I know that!" Skull replied sullenly, having clearly forgotten the consequences.

Ignoring the continual squabble, Joker focused on getting through this safely. Let his path act as a guide for the others that don't possess the poise and balance of a gymnast. Doing so slowed his pace to a standstill. If there were any connections between the individual square mats, Joker couldn't see them. That left him with no choice except to thoroughly prepare each and every jump.

A first, and then a second passed without incident. Each time, Joker managed to successful bend his knees to absorb the excess force attempting to throw him back up into the air.

"…Huh?" The unintelligent sound slipped from between Joker's lips as he turned to the next gap. It was gigantic. The gap from the edge of one trampoline to the next had to six, no seven metres. A mindboggling distance.

"Oh yeah, watch out Senpai, that one's a bit harder!" Violet's completely serious voice echoed back from where she stood, almost at the end.

"…Thanks." Joker muttered to himself sizing up the gap. Before he could second guess himself, Joker began jumping up and down at the far side. Waiting until he had maximum height, he adjusted his trajectory. Landing dead in the center of the trampoline, he adjusted his body one last time, and shot off forward.

The ground passed by beneath him with startling speed. The natural rotation in his body sending him through one, then two flips before coming back down. Just before his trajectory took him beneath the mats, the edge of his target blinked past his feet. Landing roughly, Joker tumbled once head over heels before stopping at the far edge.

"A little rough, huh?" He grumbled quietly to himself. However, even as he picked himself up, he couldn't help but smile wildly at the thrill of the flight. The issue was if everyone else would be able to make it. "Hey Violet, are there any other large ones?"

"No Senpai, that's the biggest one you just cleared!" She called back happily from her place safe on solid ground.

"I'll help people cross this one then." Joker decided yelling back. Turning around to wait for the next person unlucky enough to attempt the crossing, Joker prepared his grappling hook. It should be possible to save someone with it as long as he was prepared.

"H-Holy shit! What the fuck is this!?"

"Calm down Skull," Joker tried to soothe. He couldn't even tease the boy for his over-the-top reaction; his had been little different. "Just get a good start and you'll make it. As much speed as possible, I'll stop you."

"Speed, eh? I can do that…" The words seeming to ignite his runner's pride, Skull wound up for the jump different than Joker had. Taking on a runner's posture, Skull's whole body tensed before exploding powerfully forward. Two large steps across the mat before putting all of his strength into his right leg to hurtle himself forward off the edge.

Joker's eyes widened in shock. The leap was at least equal his. It wasn't optimal usage of the trampoline, but instead it maximized Skull's own experience in track running.

"Impressive," Joker commented lightly, grabbing skull's arm as he shot by. The quick contact slowing Skull enough so that he had no chance of falling off the far side.

"Hehe, still got it! Beat that Mona!" He called back excitedly, adrenaline flowing strongly through him.

"Get going to the next platform," Joker teased with a light shove.

"Yeah, yeah, you got it leader! And… Don't let no one fall, ya got that?"

"Get out of here."

"On it!"

With no pomp, Skull launched himself to the adjacent trampoline freeing up this one for the next entrant. Mona, tight on the heels of Skull scowled.

"You know Mona, if you don't think you can make it…" Joker began to offer, an idea forming in his mind.

"Can't make it!? A puny gap like this!? Watch me!" Before the words had even finished, Mona had begun leaping into the air, his jumps in the center of the trampoline carrying him high into the sky, almost in range of the vaulted ceiling. "Hiyah!"

Letting loose an empowered cry, Mona hit the trampoline and ricocheted forward. His lithe black form tracing an arching parabola through the air.

Watching somewhat awestruck, Joker's hands fell to his side, assuming all danger had passed. After all, Mona would easily make it.

"U-Uh-oh…!" Making a panicked noise, Mona began to tilt in mid-air. His top-heavy body dragging his head down toward the trampoline. Crossing the midpoint, Mona crashed, headfirst into the outer bar supporting the fabric. "…Ow."

"Ah, s-sorry." Joker apologized quickly, throwing a hand over his mouth to hide the laughter.

"Shut it…" Mona replied weakly, too injured to make a sassier comment.

"Can you keep going?" Joker asked, slightly more seriously.

"Y-Yeah. No problem."

"…If you're sure then." Keeping one eye on Mona, Joker quickly determined he didn't have to worry as he cleared the gap to the next trampoline with no issues. Skull as well had nearly reached the finish.

"Two more to go…" Muttering softly to himself, Joker prayed that there would be some way to skip this obstacle in the future. He really didn't want to be forced the clear it more than once.

"I suppose it is my turn to surpass this endeavour…" Fox tsked with mild annoyance. His words as poetic as ever, he duplicated Joker's strategy.

Staying silent throughout the feat, Joker simply nodded his congratulations as he stuck out an arm to stabilize the boy. "Well done."

"I am unworthy of praise. I simply took what you did and made a poor duplicate."

"If you say so." Letting the conversation die there, Joker was still uncomfortable around the artist. They had yet to develop the same bond that he could feel with the rest of the thieves.

"Ugh, I can't let a bunch of boys show me up…"

Panther's words were probably supposed to be inaudible, but Joker couldn't help but smile as he just caught them. "Doing alright?"

"Of course, I am! If you all got across then so can I!" Panther yelled back across before examining her situation again. "Now… Skull's method looked easiest, let's just do that."

"W-Wait!" Joker's cry fell on deaf ears as Panther sprinted forward with none of the power Skull summoned to perform his heroic leap.

Panther left the platform with half his height, her eyes wide with disbelief at her miscalculation.

"Damn it!" Swearing, Joker readied the grappling hook and prayed that it would work. "Hold on!" With no more warning he shot it straight at Panther's chest, who was already dropping beneath the mat. With a soft _ting,_ the metal bit bounced off.

"Ahh!" Panther panicked, not taking the aid offered.

"GRAB IT!" Forced to scream at the girl, Joker's mind began panicking. Thoughts of the worst possible scenario raising to the forefront of his mind. Was he about to watch his friend die in front of his eyes?

"Y-Yes!"

_Got her!_

Crowing mentally, Joker braced his feet and retracted the grapple. With a groan, he withstood the impact of Panther's full weight and speed bearing down on it.

Foot by creaking foot, the grappling gun slowly reeled her in while Joker's arms began to burn from the strain of suspending the swinging girl.

_How much does she weigh!?_

The rather impolite thought racing through him as he fought to hold up a girl that he had previously considered to be quite light. Maybe she really did need to stop eating so many desserts.

"Ah… Thanks Joker," Ann groaned as she crawled unto the trampoline beside him. "I swung so low the shadows were starting to take notice…"

"We're all safe now," Joker tried to assure her with a weak smile. "Keep going, I'll follow behind."

Thankfully, Violet's advice was correct. The rest of the journey passed without incident. Rejoining the group, Joker realized that the shadow was gone.

"She said she was going on ahead," Violet informed him when she caught Joker's wondering look. "Apparently it's a straight shot to the next floor."

"…Good. Is everyone prepared for a fight? The 'gang' of this floor or whatever they are should be ahead as well."

"You bet!"

"Ah, worry about yourself!"

"Ha, I've been waiting for an opportunity to prove my growth…"

"Let's crush this fight so we can deal justice to the principal."

Surprised by how fired up everyone seemed, Joker's eyes migrated to the only person that didn't say anything. Violet's eyes were flickering around, never settling in one place. Joker couldn't help but wonder if she had come to the same conclusion that he had. That there was really only one choice for who the guardian would be.

"Let's go." Speaking the words calmly drew the gazes of the other four. Some of their energy muting in the process. If he was right, that was bound to happen at some point anyway. Gesturing with his head at Violet, Joker got her to walk beside him. "Can you do this? I mean… You can sit out if it will be too hard for you."

"…Thank you for the suggestion, Joker. But I need to be in this fight. I'm the only one that can keep up with her moves."

Images from the moments before Violet's awakening washed over him. A single blade turned into an unstoppable tornado. The speed and precision of the movements was breathtaking and impossible to keep up with.

Would they face it again?

Faced with uncertainty, Joker could do only one thing, keep moving. The inevitable fight, destined from the second floor. For days now, Joker had stewed silently over whether it may come to this. Taking one silent second to compose himself, Joker pushed the giant double door open.

The aesthetic of the playground was almost completely abandoned in favour of a display of power. The walls appeared to be carved from a single stone that sparkled white. Gold tapestries hanging on the wall covered with an image of an imposing Kobayakawa. On the far side were beautifully carved stairs that ran straight up to the next floor. Only their shockingly bright blue colour completely threw out the realistic aspect. Running from the door Joker opened to the stairs was a thick carpet. It looked expensive, even if the colours were strange. Red in the center with a thick blue exterior the colour of the stairs. Standing right in front of the stairs were two figures.

The child guises from before were no more. Two teenage girls stood side-by-side in complimentary dancing outfits. One striped with silver and black, the other, gold and black. Both shimmered with a metallic gleam that covered their entire bodies.

"Why?" Joker's voice echoed through the room.

"Isn't it obvious?" Shadow Kasumi answered back instantly with a small, somewhat sad smile. "I have no love for Kobayakawa, but I couldn't let my sister fight alone."

"Neither of you have to fight us!" Violet exploded. Stepping ahead of Joker, she shook off his restraining arm. "Come with us! Let us deal with him together!"

"He is our master. I will obey him." The shadow Sumire finally spoke, her eyes still darkened behind her bangs.

With those words an uneasy air filled the room. A fight was no longer avoidable.

"I'll say this now," shadow Kasumi added on as the tension grew. "If you can't beat us, you have no chance at upstaging the king or his puppet."

"Noted. Now I'll say this before we start. Are you sure this is the end you want?"

"Don't…"

"…?" Looking at the suddenly enraged Kasumi in confusion, Joker drew his knife and assumed a battle stance.

"Don't look at me like that!" Exploding forward, Kasumi crossed the ten-metre gap between them in a second. "Don't stare at me with pity!" Their blades clashed in an explosion of sparks. "If you don't fight to win, I _will_ kill you!"

Staring into her wide angry brown eyes at close range, Joker didn't relent. She had been right, if this was the first time they had crossed blades, he would have been unable to fight her at full force.

"Violet, hit her!"

"Y-Yes Senpai!"

With the shadow's weapon trapped, Violet leapt forward. Sword raised; it only shook a little before descending down unto the shadow.

Joker was secretly surprised. He had doubts that Violet would be able to fight Kasumi a second time. Especially after they had bonded today.

"She's not alone either."

The soft, quiet words preceded the air being split by a fourth combatant. A louder, ringing collision consumed the air as Violet's rapier was halted in its trajectory by a massive shield. It's bulk exceeded any medieval variant Joker had heard about. It was well over a metre wide in both directions and shaped like a heart. The metallic surface shone brightly, light from the ceiling reflecting off it's white-gold surface.

"W-What is happening?" Skull puzzled loudly, still stunned by the rapid change in pace.

"W-Who cares!" Panther spat back at him, "Joker needs help!"

However, neither of them moved. Their legs were frozen in place. They couldn't figure out why the person that had helped them was again their enemy. They couldn't bring themselves to attack shadows that so closely resembled their schoolmates.

"A strange turn of fate, but this would truly make a beautiful painting. My blade is yours. Let us go, Goemon!"

"Well said! Show your might, Zorro!"

As the twin magic bombarded the girls, Joker finally got a break from the endless combat as the shadow was driven back.

"Good job you two," Joker congratulated them. "If we keep this up, we'll win."

"Brave talk. Let's get them Sumi!"

"You got it, Kas!"

"YAAARGH!" With a ferocious shout, shadow Kasumi's body was cloaked in a terrible energy. The ground breaking beneath her feet, she charged back into combat, her whole body rotating, turning her into a hurricane.

"I won't let you!" Voice piercing through the oncoming storm of noise, Violet charged straight out to meet her, while Joker was still debating his next move. Her glowing ivory outfit seemed to emit a pure white light that countered the black aura of the shadow.

_Cling, Clang!_

Continuous ringing impacts washed over the battlefield. Each one sharp, piercing, and pure. Stunned for a moment, Joker could only gape at the display of pure talent. Violet had spoken true in her claim. She was dancing through the hurricane gracefully, no effort or motion wasted. Yet despite her skill, she was still a single person against a hurricane. This contest had but one logical outcome.

"Hit her again!" Joker commanded, ripping off his mask at the same time to do just that. He could hear the sounds of Mona and Fox doing the same. The three distinct magics streaking forward with only a short interval between them.

"Kas."

Just one soft word disrupted their plan. The hurricane abruptly ended as shadow Kasumi threw herself backward. Into that small space, Violet's identical shadow entered. Her large shield absorbing all three attacks with only mild effort.

"W-What defense…"

Standing side-by-side, the two girls made the perfect combo. Bold, powerful offense with a defense that stopped any counter. The whole strategy was predicated on flawless teamwork based on absolute trust in each other.

"S-Sorry Senpai, I'll try to lock her down next time."

"Don't apologize," Joker denied her quickly. "You did amazing. Take a more supportive role and heal."

"Are… Are you sure?"

"Yes… But I'll need you to jump back in again later." Leaving the words there, Joker tried to communicate his real meaning with his eyes. There was a hole in the shadows' strategy that only Violet could take advantage of.

"…Got it."

Nodding at her, Joker hoped she had figured it out. "Fox with me. Mona, support us."

""Yes!""

Mentally switching personas, Joker pulled off his mask for a physical attack. He could practically feel the hardening of his body, the resistance to physical blows that the switch had granted.

"Gragh!" The shadow grunted from pain. Joker was pleasantly surprised that the attack was able to find its way onto shadow Kasumi directly. There would be issues if the shadow Sumire could block everything. "You'll pay, boy!"

Unable to do anything except watch, Joker felt the rapier sink into his aura. Even with the natural protection granted to him by the persona, it hurt. Getting blown back half a step, Joker waited as Fox snuck into the gap created, expertly delivering a blow to the shadow.

"Kas?"

"Not yet!" The shadow screamed back, "I can still… I can keep going. Further… Higher…"

The shadow's brown eyes were still wide, but were now bloodshot. The entire whites consumed by harsh red lines. She looked half possessed by a desire that Joker couldn't fully comprehend. Some need to continue to prove herself as the best.

"This is going to hurt…" Mumbling to himself, Joker graciously accepted the healing light from Mona and Violet, the shadow Kasumi getting aid from the shadow Sumire at the same time.

Raising his knife, Joker simply guarded himself from the onslaught that was about to come. Half a second later than expected, it arrived. That terrifying hurricane of steel and skill. Again and again, her blade struck. Joker didn't try dodging, giving the action up as futile. Instead he grit his teeth and pushed through, relying on his unnatural power of persona to give him the upper hand.

"WHY!? Why aren't you down yet!?"

"Heh. Guess you should have studied us more before leaving," Joker taunted back, giving her a fearless smile despite his dwindling stamina. Around him flew pieces of the carpet they stood on and even the solid stone floor. Nothing was capable of withstanding the force of shadow Kasumi's blade.

"Kas."

The voice rang out again.

"Already?" Seemingly surprised, the shadow slipped up in her attack in her haste to retreat. Darting backwards, her sister wasn't there. "Huh?"

_Yes!_ Joker crowed mentally.

Confusion and a look of betrayal flashed across the shadow's face before understanding clicked into place. Glaring at Violet, her face twisted into a vicious rictus.

"YOU!"

"Now!" Cutting off the shadow's yell, Joker could only watch as Fox and Mona released their personas on the vulnerable shadow. Nearly unblockable, the physical attacks from close range tore into the shadow's flagging form. Her outstanding power came at a price to herself as well.

"Kas!" The shadow Sumire shouted in fear, darting forward to protect her fallen sister. "Stay back!"

"Or what…?" Violet taunted.

No, Joker corrected his interpretation. She wasn't taunting the shadow, it was an honest question. Rapier in hand, Violet approached the large shield fearlessly.

"I'll… I'll…"

All the hesitant words did was confirm what Joker had previously suspected, the shadow Kasumi had all the damage of the pair. It was likely that Shadow Sumire was only responsible for defense and buffing.

"…I should thank you." Violet's quiet words seemed to echo through the room, silencing them all. Ignoring Joker's questioning gaze, Violet continued to speak straight at the shadow. "You're exactly how I used to be. You felt you had no chance at matching Kasumi's skill, so you stopped trying."

"O-Of course I can't match her, no one can! So, I do the best that I can! I protect her!"

"Is that what you're doing? Or are you holding her back?"

"W-What!?"

"You gave up on improving and instead hide behind that shield. Claiming that you're doing your best while not trying at all. …But that's not why I can't forgive you."

As Violet's voice suddenly grew harder, the room seemed to tense up. The battle that was briefly forgotten rearing its head as the two nearly identical girls glared at each other.

"You let your Kasumi… your own sister! Hang there… In that state! You abandoned her! You chose what? Kobayakawa!? How dare you!?"

"Violet…" The word slipping out, Joker could only imagine the tears slipping down her face. How she felt facing the person that was supposed to be her, abandon what she held most dear.

"Grr…" The shadow had no reply, her shield wavering in indecision.

"Give us the key and step aside."

"…I can't."

"Very well."

As conversation died, the tension between the two of them increased. The shadow's shield held before herself with new determination. Violet, not to be outdone, tensed up with her rapier held over her shoulder.

One second, then two passed as the combatants prepared themselves. Then, with an unspoken signal, they both moved. The shield thrusted forward as Violet exploded at her. With a thunderous clang, the tip of the thrusted rapier impacted the center of the shield.

Despite the difference in size and weight of their weapons, it was the shadow that was forced back. Feet sliding across the ruined floor, centimetre by centimetre, Violet had the advantage.

A moment later, the shadow's face twisted in consternation. "You know nothing about me!" As she screamed into Violet's face, the shield began to glow with a golden luster. An aura of invincibility emanating from its surface; powered by tendrils of black energy that were rising from the shadow's body.

The sliding stopped as the shadow gave Violet a nasty smile. At this point, the shadow almost seemed to be toying with her.

"Help me… Jeanne." Using her unused left hand, Violet ripped off her mask, baring the full face that matched the one across from her. Behind and slightly above her, a shimmering form appeared. Barely visible, it was a strange use of a persona. Rather than using any ability, the persona simply laid its hand upon Violet's left shoulder.

As it did, Violet's body was encased with a golden aura, her silvery rapier giving off a pure white light that beat back the darkness of the shadow.

"How beautiful…"

Joker couldn't agree more with Fox's assessment, even if he had said the same thing multiple times at this point. No one even thought of helping. This was what would decide the victor. It would be whomever managed to come out on top of this one attack.

"Haaaargh!"

The two identical voices overlapped in twinned shouts until it was impossible to tell whose was whose.

_Gong! Gong!_

Every other second another reverberation emanated from the intersection of their weapons. Their auras changing it from the initial metallic ranging to a pure, deep echo like a church bell.

"I-I won't lose! My sister will… Kas will…"

Violet didn't answer the shadow's words, simply leaning forward even more into her attack. As she did, the black energy flickered and wavered like flame on the verge of being extinguished.

"Ah, I see now. She abandoned you… She never mentioned her plans, did she?"

The quiet words changed everything. The shadow's determination and will to fight fleeing in an instant.

"…Why didn't she just ask me? …Kas." The shadow's face contorted, tears falling silently down both cheeks.

"…Sumi."

Half a second later, a heart-wrenching crunch sounded through the room. The source was clear as Violet's rapier tore a hole through the center of the Shadow's shield. Unable to stop the blade, it kept going and tore another perfect hole through the center of her matching shadow.

"Ah…" Breathing out one syllable, the shield crashed to the ground, releasing a cacophony of metallic impacts. Meanwhile, everyone's eyes were focussed on the shadow that collapsed right behind it. All power gone from her body; she began to cough up blood as the power keeping her form together began to disperse.

"Sumi…"

The shadow Kasumi had dropped her rapier, choosing instead to cradle the fading shadow's head in her arms.

"I failed, Kas… You were right. They are too strong."

"No Sumi you fought so hard. I'm so proud of you. So proud… to call you my sister."

"Hehe, thanks." Eyes closing, the shadow's mouth turned up into a bloodstained smile.

With slow steps, Violet approached the pair, the only one who would dare. Sheathing her blade, she knelt beside her fallen foe and grabbed of her hands tightly. "You really are me, aren't you?"

"I… Don't know." The shadow muttered in confusion. "But if you are… Protect your sister. She's not as strong as she appears to be."

"Sumi…" The shadow Kasumi muttered again, a faint blush creeping over cheeks.

"I will." Violet asserted strongly, the mask steadily reappearing on her face. As it did, a miracle happened. The twinned girls, sharing a smile, became one.

Forms shifting unsteadily, the shadow's rate of dissolving sped up and its energy entered Violet and fused with her.

The cognitive Yoshizawa Sumire was no more.

"Mona?" Joker queried while stunned. His eyes were wide, shock clear to see on his face.

"How should I…!? Actually… I may have an idea."

"Shoot." Joker urged, still unable to rip his eyes from where Violet was sitting stunned while the shadow Kasumi struggled to get her emotions under control.

"When Violet accepted the cognitive being as a part of herself, or maybe the same as she is, it became impossible for both of them to exist at the same time. After all, Kobayakawa knows that there is only one Yoshizawa Kasumi. Therefore, he can't visualize more than one in his palace at a time."

"Huh," Joker muttered. "That actually makes sense."

"Haha, you can count on me!" Mona smiled with newfound confidence.

"Whoa, the cat was useful for once…"

"Shut up Skull!"

Ears toning out the rest of his teammates' argument, Joker focused on the sister's that were now staring at each other with newfound emotions.

"So, you really are Sumi… I remember now. I don't know why I didn't before."

"Yes, I am. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you Kas."

"No, it's my fault. I didn't confide in you about my plans. Either way, it doesn't matter. You're strong enough now. Whatever you plan on doing, you can do it. Dethrone Kobayakawa, or whatever it is that you're planning."

"Aren't you coming with us?"

"…Nay. You can deal the principal. I'll just hold you back in that fight with this ruined body of mine. I'll just try and convince that stuck-up doll to not interfere with you."

"…Stay safe."

"You as well…"

Joker knew the conversation wasn't for anyone else's ears, yet it still didn't contain anything he would have considered private. Without even touching, the shadow stood up and limped off. Only then did Joker finally see the penultimate key that was laying on the ground between them.

"Are you alright?" Knowing the question was inadequate, he didn't know what else to say as Violet stared longingly as her sister's shrinking back.

"Hey Senpai… Do you think that I'll ever have that chance?"

"What chance?"

"To fight side-by-side with my sister? As a pair?"

"…What a silly question."

"Huh?" Violet reacted violently, turning her shuddering eyes to Joker, a layer of pain and confusion in her visage.

"You _already are_." Joker emphasized with a smile. "Working your way up to the top of the gymnastics world together. You've been a pair and always will be."

"Thank you… Senpai."

Before the others could focus on them, Violet leaned her head against his chest, just for a second. The steady heartbeat and warm chest reinvigorating her for the fight ahead.

* * *

_Wednesday May 25_ _th_ _, 20XX, Evening_

"My, my, you must have really pissed him off."

Kasumi did her best not to flinch as Akechi's fingers ran down her cheek. The contact felt strangely artificial. As if Akechi was a robot or was only doing it to get a rise from her. Either way, Kasumi knew that there were no feelings in the contact.

Coming here directly after training, Kasumi had washed all the makeup off so that her co-conspirer could see the growing bruise in all of its purple glory. She still struggled to believe that Akechi actually lived in such a modest apartment. His clothes and image just screamed _money_ and Kasumi was surprised that his living conditions didn't match.

"While I hate to admit my mistakes, it seems I have jumped the gun." Akechi admitted while turning around. Leaving the quaint entryway behind, he made his way into the attached kitchen. "The timing isn't really going to work anymore. We wanted a weekend arrest, Saturday after school… Go the bathroom, put full makeup on, I need to see if it can be hid."

"I already…! Never mind." Choosing not to argue, Kasumi left briefly to fulfill the simple task. If Kasumi was being honest, she enjoyed the chance to leave Akechi's presence in his strange place. It was that, she thought, more than anything that was putting her on edge. Being in his house made her feel… vulnerable.

Maybe even moreso than usual after the flash of terror that consumed her while staring up at the principal from the ground. The sheer difference in power between them had been made clear in that moment.

While she had forgotten about it briefly with school consuming her thoughts and hiding the bruise, she now had nothing else _except_ the principal to think about. With somewhat shaky hands, Kasumi fumbled applying her makeup. It was extremely sloppy from her point of view. However, unless someone was staring into her face from close range, it would be nearly impossible to tell.

Taking one last long look at herself in the mirror, Kasumi smiled, squared her shoulders, and left. Her soft feet made no noise as she entered the kitchen, yet Akechi looked up just as she did anyway. Instantly looking away again, the boy waved at the table where three items were located.

Approaching them cautiously, Kasumi's trepidation turned into confusion. They were an ice pack, a glass of water, and pain killers. "How considerate… and also how unlike you."

Ignoring the chair, Kasumi grabbed the water and painkillers and downed them. Maybe Akechi had been able to tell from the flinches she had tried to hide, but the wound was starting to throb painfully.

"Sit." Akechi commanded.

"I'm fine standing."

"No, you aren't, you're exhausted from practice. Besides, you'll be here awhile."

"Awhile?" Kasumi narrowed her eyes, "It's already past eight." For Tokyo, they lived close together. However, that still meant a more than half an hour commute home by way of the train system.

Concerned with the words, Kasumi stretched out for the icepack and began to raise it to her cheek. However, Akechi's surprisingly strong hand latched onto her arm first and stopped it from reaching.

"What are you…?"

Words cutting off, Kasumi stared at Akechi's face which was now consuming her entire vision. "I thought you'd be better at using make-up," Akechi commented critically. "Nonetheless, it seems you are skilled enough to create an adequate illusion without being caked in blush. All you need now is to keep the swelling down. These painkillers will help, so will ice."

Flushing from the comment, Kasumi couldn't move as Akechi strolled away from her to the opposite side of the two-person table. Sitting down on one of the hard, wooden, straight-backed chairs, Akechi opened his laptop.

"Well," Kasumi responded, finally finding her voice. "I thank you for your hospitality but…"

"Sit." Akechi ordered again. "Besides, as I mentioned, these measures are to reduce the swelling."

Sighing, Kasumi sat down and pressed the ice pack to her face, gasping as it came into contact with her skin. The chill spreading quickly as it interacted with the throb to create a peculiar sensation. While Kasumi had taken some ice baths before on her coach's recommendation, she'd never gotten a serious injury or wound before.

"You'll need to ice your face in the morning before school and again at lunch time. Once school is done for the next two days, come straight here. Make whatever excuses you need to."

"W-Wait, what!?" Kasumi yelped, the instructions quickly growing ludicrous. "I-I couldn't possibly intrude like that…"

"You haven't stopped shaking since you came in…" Akechi commented casually, his eyes rising from his screen to meet Kasumi's. "Is it excitement? Nervousness? Both?"

"Or maybe I'm just creeped out at being in your house!" Kasumi yelled back. A strange sensation rose within her. She was startled to realize that as the fear began to fade, she was excited. The company may not be the best, but the exhilaration of taking on the principal and getting one step closer to beating him was rewarding.

"Hee," Akechi smirked, "I've had many girls petition me to bring them here. It certainly doesn't deserve to be called creepy."

"The place isn't creepy," Kasumi replied, getting more into the familiar banter, "it's the thought of coming to _your_ place. Also, your ego is showing again. They just wanted pictures with a celebrity to show their friends."

"That's not all they wanted from this celebrity."

"That's gross." Kasumi glared at the boy, but she couldn't hold it as heat suffused her. Suddenly, Kasumi was very glad for the icepack that helped hide her expressions and keep her cheeks cool.

"Hehe, indeed," Akechi agreed to her surprise. "Some of them were clearly adults. If I had accepted their proposals, I would have been forced to arrest them afterwards."

Opening her mouth to tell him to stop talking about this, Kasumi hesitated. Had there been a little too much emphasis on _their proposals?_ Does that mean Akechi would have accepted someone else's? _Hers!?_

"Y-You aren't…" Trying to compose herself under Akechi's piercing eyes, Kasumi fell back on her boldness and attacked the elusive detective. "You better not be flirting with me."

He looked almost curious how he simply turned his head a bit. His mouth pulling back in mock surprise. "Would that be a bad thing? You didn't pull away from my touch after all…"

"You're a horrible liar," Kasumi glared at him. "I didn't pull away because you needed to feel the swelling. Besides, there was no interest in your touch."

"Oh, really?"

Back stiffening, Kasumi could only watch as Akechi suddenly stood up. His words contained a predatory nature that she'd never experienced before.

"W-Whaaa, ahh!"

Her words abruptly ended as Akechi stroked her uninjured cheek with one long finger. Running it down the length, he scooped it under her chin and left it there. "Better?"

"W-Wha…"

"Left speechless I see. I know a few women that could learn from your example." Taking his finger of her chin, Akechi pressed it carelessly against her lips for a brief moment before returning to his chair.

Hands shaking strongly, the ice pack feel from Kasumi's limp left hand. Her right one reaching up to cover her mouth. She didn't know what to do. The difference had left her stunned. For a brief dreadful second, Kasumi had wondered if Akechi would force himself on her. The cloying, overpowering feelings of dominance emanating from the boy were so different from the calm, data collection version from before.

How could that be the same person?

Was it simply the difference in the hand that he used? His left now versus his right before?

These thoughts plagued Kasumi as her fractured mind began to piece itself back together again. She felt one thing keenly though as she stood up to leave. That this detective was far more dangerous than he let on. She could almost believe he had some mystical power.

_Like a power to change hearts._

Half snorting at the strange thought, the humour helped her recover from the mental shock that he'd given her. Picking up the ice pack, Kasumi set it on the table and began to leave.

"Sit."

"What?" Kasumi exploded. "It's far too late. My family will begin worrying if I don't…"

_Ding!_

"Ah, that should be it," Akechi smiled with a superior tone. "Hide over there, I don't want you to be seen here."

Obeying with a grimace, Kasumi wished she could ignore him and open the door to whomever could be paying Akechi a visit.

"Your order."

"Thank you."

"That will be 2040 yen."

"Credit."

"Have a nice day."

"You as well."

Blinking away her confusion, Kasumi walked back around the corner once the door was shut. Akechi placed the package on the table and ripped off the outer layers. Inside was…

"Cooling packs?"

"For you." Akechi explained briefly. "You can't exactly bring a freezer with you to school, nor do you want to alert your family to your injury."

"I-I suppose."

"Therefore, as I told you earlier, use one in the morning, one during lunch, and then come here after school."

Not responding, Kasumi picked one up from the table. While it was slightly cool to the touch, it wasn't cold. As the instructions clearly listed though, simply snap it and the ingredients inside will begin to mix and cool. "How did you get this delivered?" Kasumi asked instead.

"There are a couple of all-purpose stores around here that deliver. While it sounds convenient, most people don't use it due to its exorbitant delivery charges."

"Understandable…" Kasumi muttered. "Does this mean I can leave?"

"Will you follow the rules I have laid out?"

"…Yes," Kasumi sighed, giving into his wishes. Everything Akechi said made sense. Somewhere deep down, Kasumi had accepted that something like this would probably happen from the moment she had dialed his number.

"Then this is goodbye." Akechi confirmed. His mouth turning into a teasing smile a moment later. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Shove off." Glaring at him, Kasumi began the long trek long, bag stuffed full of cooling packs and a head empty of stories to tell her family for her upcoming disappearances.


	10. The Supreme Bully

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Hello again!
> 
> This chapter was pretty fun to write, so I hope you enjoy reading it.
> 
> I think things are developing pretty well.
> 
> Later!
> 
> -asdf

_Chapter 10: The Supreme Bully_

_Wednesday May 25_ _th_ _, 20XX, Evening_

"Hey… Was it really alright to leave the palace?"

"What are you talking about?" Responding to Morgana's question wearily, Ren forced his eyes open. Laying on his bed in Leblanc, with Morgana curled up on his stomach, Ren was moments away from sleep. Or had been anyway, before the question had stirred his mind from the abyss it was slipping into.

"Bah, you know exactly what I mean!" Morgana hissed. "We left without a treasure route! Yet now you want to send the calling card without going back in! Don't you know what happens if we fail!?"

"We never get a second chance…" Ren sighed in answer. He had been sure when he had made the decision, but looking at it now, he understood Morgana's sentiment. The choice was extremely risky. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"I-I well…"

Ren nodded sympathetically. None of them had wanted to keep going after battling the Yoshizawa sisters' shadows. After finding a safe place at the entrance of the sixth floor, they'd retreated.

"It was the right choice," Ren repeated, firmly believing that. "We need to give Shadow Kasumi time to deal with shadow Makoto."

"Yeah… About that." Morgana rejected him, "I doubt she'll manage to do anything. After all, what determines the state of the palace is the ruler's cognitive state. Unless something happens in the real world to change it, nothing will happen."

"But something has happened," Ren fired back with a sly smile. "Kasumi must have rejected the principal. _That's_ what led to her shadow being… well, you saw. That then in turn destabilized shadow Kasumi, since the principal no longer knows whether she's with him or against him."

"Good points," Morgana conceded, "but none of that changes the student council president. In case you haven't noticed, she's taken to following us around."

"Haha… only twice so far…" Ren replied with a dry laugh. Her stalking skills were so atrociously bad it felt more like an awkward date than anything. Unfortunately, the close distance she kept made her hard to shake off to meet up with the thieves. "However… I don't think it matters."

"What?" Morgana looked shocked.

"Kobayakawa now knows that he has one, maybe two dissident elements attempting to take him down. And not just anyone, former trusted elements. I wouldn't be surprised if he lost faith in Makoto resulting in a cognitive change around her."

"…You know, I want to believe you, right? But this is everyone's life your hanging on this."

Ren stayed silent for a moment as he stared at the attic roof. The old boards that composed the ceiling were beginning to twist with age. Closing his eyes so it wouldn't distract him, Ren tried to embrace Morgana's statement.

Not only his, but everyone's life was at risk every time he led them into the metaverse. Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Morgana, and Sumire of course.

_Had his gut decision been wrong?_

"I…" Taking a moment to find his words, Ren stared Morgana in the eyes while delivering his final judgement on the issue. "I believe in Kasumi. She may not be a thief, but… She's going to come through for us."

"Heh… You got it leader."

Air between them cleared, they leaned back for sleep. A few moments later, their matched breathing slowed as they drifted off at the same time.

_Thursday May 26_ _th_ _, 20XX, Early Morning_

"Sumire."

"…"

"Sumire?"

"…"

"Sumire!"

"AH!" Bolting up in her bed, Sumire's head swung back and forth. Rubbing her blurry, sleep-ridden eyes, she finally resolved the form of her father. The exasperated man was standing the doorway with a bemused expression.

"Didn't you go to sleep early?" He teased. "Your sister left almost twenty minutes ago. If you get dressed, I'll drive you to the school before I head off for work."

"Ah, t-thank you father…" Blushing, Sumire ducked her head as he shut the door. She hadn't done something like this since she was in elementary school. Even on her worst day of feeling like she should just give up, Sumire had managed to pick herself out of bed and get to school on time.

"Ah…" Wincing softly, Sumire flinched as she pulled her body upright. Almost every single part of her body hurt. She knew she had pushed herself hard yesterday, but still! She wasn't this sore after an hour of HITT with coach!

Complaining internally about the tolls the metaverse took, Sumire began shuffling around her room at a pace far slower than someone as late as she should be moving. Her father was right, even Tokyo's high-speed train system wouldn't be fast enough anymore. Even car would be pushing it unless she left in the next five minutes.

Not having time to find a fresh uniform, Sumire threw on her uniform from yesterday. Thankfully, she had left it draped over the back of her desk chair. One advantage of the metaverse was that at least it wasn't sweaty from her activities there.

With that done, Sumire hesitated, her mind now running a million miles a minute to try and make up for lost time. The adrenaline shock from realizing that she may be late dispersing any residues of sleep. Grabbing some change from her purse, she threw it roughly in her bag: that would have to be lunch. Grabbing it, Sumire dashed to the washroom and opened the vanity mirror. Quickly she took the comb and threw it in her bag, then began searching for makeup. While she typically didn't use much, she had no idea what she'd need until she was in the car.

"Huh? Kasumi's is missing?" The absence of one of the twinned bags shocked Sumire. As far as she was aware, Kasumi, like her, never touched the heavier cosmetics outside competitions. "No… It couldn't be. The metaverse isn't real…"

Her overactive imagine running wild, Sumire struggled not to shiver, despite the warmth of the washroom. Grabbing hers, Sumire stuffed it into her school bag and ran to the front entranceway. Either way, she was determined to talk to Kasumi after school.

"There you are!" Her father smiled happily. "Good to see you can rush. I made you some toast, you okay to eat it on the way?"

"That's fine. Thank you very much for making me food." Sumire tried to assure him. Now that she was getting older, she was starting to see the humanity in her parents. Her father, despite his high position was worried about being late to work. Not that he'd say as much.

Grabbing the whole plate, Sumire slid into comfortable flats and followed him out the door. In short order they'd descended the complexes elevator to the parking garage. Once outside, they were instantly swamped by Tokyo rush hour. In the first five minutes, the car travelled a distance Sumire was positive she could have done in half that. This was all accounted for. The traffic wasn't more than usual. It just was.

In a few more, however, they hit the freeway and managed to speed up. Nowhere near the posted speed limit, but fast enough to surpass the time it would have taken to walk to the train station, take the train, then walk to the school.

Leaving driving to her father, Sumire scarfed down the toast. Her stomach grumbling protest to the scarce fare when she had finished. No doubt it was all her father would eat, but she an athlete!

"Oh, sorry. I didn't have time to make you anything else." Her father apologized, catching her disappointed face that Sumire forgot to hide.

"Oh no, don't be! It's more than I would have gotten otherwise." Sumire replied abashed.

Storing the plate in the backseat of the small car, Sumire dug through her bag until she got the comb. Lowering the passenger visor, she opened the mirror and set to work at her red tresses.

Moving to untangle the first section, her hand froze as she stared at her reflection. "My… My glasses…"

Touching her face did nothing to change what the reflection told her. She'd forgotten them on her bedside table. In her hurry, they weren't one of the things she remembered.

"Oh, yeah!" Her father commented, "you aren't wearing them today! Trying a new look?"

"…Something like that." Hoping her father wouldn't pursue the conversation, Sumire tried to fix her hair. Yet she couldn't take her eyes off the reflection. Letting her hair flow down around her, Sumire blanched in horror. The look did not work without her glasses.

Briefly remembering the make-up kit, Sumire extracted it and placed it on her lap. Opening it, there they were. Little black hairbands. Taking one out, Sumire deftly transitioned her hair from 'everyday' wear as she called it, to work-out mode.

With her hair tied up and no glasses, Sumire was shocked by how much she resembled Kasumi. Obviously, she understood that they were sisters. But growing up, Sumire had only seen their differences. Now though…

Smiling, Sumire touched her face. She liked the look. The act of tying her hair back made her feel more courageous. Almost like she was back in the metaverse, with her persona pushing her on to greater heights. Deciding she didn't need any make-up, Sumire returned the container to her schoolbag and leaned back, waiting for her arrival.

* * *

_Thursday May 26_ _th_ _, 20XX, Lunch_

"Gah, I look like a gyaru!" Kasumi hissed into the small mirror. Sitting in a stall, Kasumi held one of Akechi's icepacks to her cheek. She had to give it to the boy, not only was it clever, the icepacks and the painkillers were the only thing keeping Kasumi going. Without them, Kasumi had a feeling she wouldn't be able to talk through the pain and swelling.

Even as it was, it had taken a full set of contouring to try and hide. The worst was the discolouration around her eye. That was impossible to make look natural, so Kasumi had gone with blue eyeliner. She thought the combination looked horrible, yet her male classmates were all pointing and whispering.

Getting an idea forming in the back of her mind, Kasumi lifted her hand behind her head and pulled. In one motion, the red ribbon that held her hair was freed. Her brown hair tumbled around her and over her shoulders.

"It's shorter than Sumire's but…" whispering to herself, Kasumi judged her reflection. While it looked a little silly, she thought, the hair formed a curtain helping to obscure her face.

_Ring!_

"The warning bell already?" Kasumi groaned, holding her stomach. Sumire hadn't made lunches for her, and if she was being honest, Kasumi didn't trust herself to make an edible lunch. She couldn't believe she had spent the entire break hiding in the bathroom stall. It was pathetic.

Lowering the icepack, Kasumi glanced at her cheek. The blurring due to condensation wasn't horrible. Drying it swiftly, Kasumi cast a critical eye on herself and touched it up. To her appraising eye, there was something wrong with her left cheek and eye. Hopefully, the work was good enough to confuse the average person.

Putting everything away, Kasumi jumped as her phone vibrated. "Please don't be… Sumire?" Surprised to see her sister message her, Kasumi read the text.

_Hey Kas, missed you at lunch. I have a workout after school, but do you want to catch a movie after that?_

"She really has changed…" Kasumi smiled happily. Her sister's message a sign of how far she had come. Looking back now, Kasumi couldn't believe how blind she had been to her sister's needs.

Moving to type an affirmative, Kasumi groaned. Her promise to Akechi looming over her head. Also, as Kasumi touched her cheek, she knew. One look at her and Sumire would be able to tell that something was wrong.

_Can't make it, busy today. Sunday afternoon?_

Shooting the message out quickly, Kasumi put her phone in her school coat's pocket and headed to class. Before she made it halfway, the phone buzzed again. Ignoring it for now, Kasumi assumed her seat. Despite everyone looking at her and her new hairstyle, Kasumi was focused on only one thing, her phone.

_Huh? But aren't you off today? Is everything alright?_

Pursing her lips, Kasumi tapped her fingers repeatedly against the desk. After a moment, she went with the simplest answer.

_Yes, I'm fine. Going to a friend's is all. Sorry._

Deciding that was both vague enough and explanation enough, Kasumi closed her phone with a satisfied smile. Surely Sumire would be content with…

_Buzz!_

Shocked by the instantaneous response Kasumi looked nervously to the front where her afternoon teacher just walked into the door. Gambling, Kasumi read it quickly.

_FRIEND!? Is that where you were yesterday as well!? Like a boyfriend!? That's so exciting!_

_But… I thought you liked Senpai?_

_We_ _ hav _ _e to talk tonight!_

"Uh oh." Not responding, Kasumi closed the phone as a cold sweat drenched her body. Standing numbly for attendance, Kasumi began the afternoon classes in a haze of dread.

_Thursday May 26_ _th_ _, 20XX, After school_

"Hey Senpai!"

"Ah, Sumire," Smiling softly at the excited girl, Ren slowed his pace slightly so that she could walk beside him. "Is something up?"

"Nope! We're going in the same direction, so I thought…"

Nodding his head, Ren wasn't sure how to answer the vague trailing words. His mind quickly forgot them though as his gaze kept getting dragged back to her face. For a moment he struggled to comprehend the difference.

"You tied your hair back."

"…"

_I'm an idiot._

He could imagine Morgana slamming his head against Ren's back from within his schoolbag. As far as lows went, he'd reached a new one.

"I-Is there a reason for the change?"

"Oh, umm…"

_God this is awkward._

Wondering how things had slipped so far between them, Ren could scarcely remember the easy chemistry they had fought with in the metaverse.

"A-Anyway," Sumire spoke again, sending a nervous finger over her ear. The motion would have tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, if it was still there. Ren just caught the slight blush that resulted as Sumire realized her mistake. "I have practice right now, but umm… if you aren't doing anything later Senpai…"

"Oh, well I thought we were taking the day off from phan, er, you know, metaverse work."

_Thump!_

This time Ren was positive that Morgana had slammed his head against him. It took Ren only a moment to want to bury his head in the ground. He'd hung out alone with Ryuji, and Ann before, but for some reason, Ren felt like it would be different with Sumire.

"I-I mean, I just thought… Since Kasumi seems to have, but ah, you don't know that, and uh…"

"So, a movie?" Ren forced out. "Like… 8ish?"

"O-Oh… My face…"

Ren's heart skipped a beat as he watched Sumire shyly turn away, her hands on her cheeks. Her face was almost a matching tone with her hair.

"…Is that… a yes?" Ren asked hesitantly.

"I… I would like that Senpai. Oh, I really need to go. I'll text you the details later. Bye!"

"Bye…" Replying weakly, Ren forced himself to blink a few times. He still wasn't sure that really happened when Morgana popped his head out of the bag.

"Man, I thought you were going to blow it."

"Blow what? What are you talking about?" Ren asked, his eyes still tracing that transfixing red hair as it disappeared from view.

"Man…" Morgana sighed. "Ah, if only lady Ann would ask me to do something with her…"

"Do you want me to message her? Maybe the two of you can go for a walk while I'm at the movie."

"Message first and look desperate? No way!"

"Have it your way." Shrugging, Ren turned and bumped into someone. "Ah, excuse… me."

Shocked once again, Ren found himself staring into a set of brown eyes that he knew quite well at this point. Yoshizawa Kasumi.

"Ohh… Senpai."

"Yoshi… err, Kasumi." Ren responded. She had asked him to use her first name after all. While it rolled pleasantly off his tongue, Ren felt awkward addressing her so casually. Not because he didn't know her, the opposite. After encountering her shadow in the principal's palace on multiple occasions, Ren felt like he knew more about her than she'd be comfortable with.

"Umm… I'd love to talk, but I have to go now…"

"Are you training with Sumire?" Ren asked naturally. A moment later, another question came to his mind. "Sumire also mentioned something about you. Did something happen recently?"

"O-Oh, nothing at all," she tried to assure him with a weak smile. "Sumi just invited me to a movie, and I couldn't make it. I'm sure she'd be thrilled if you invited her instead."

"Ha… I actually… Kind of did already."

"Oh… Well, have fun I suppose."

The reply sounded harsh to Ren's ears. The half-forced smile on Kasumi's face died as he mentioned it. Looking at her closely, Ren realized that yet again, something was different with her as well. "You're wearing your hair down."

_Thump!_

"How… observant."

"S-So… Where are you going that's making you so busy?" Ren asked, trying to move the conversation past the dead-panned look that brought back memories of the same face trying to kill him with a rapier.

"…I have to go to a friend's house. Excuse me."

"Of course…" Wincing, Ren couldn't get another word in as the girl barged past him. Rubbing his head, he struggled to figure out what exactly went wrong.

"You, my friend, need to work on your charm…" Morgana sighed.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Ren snapped back. He was on edge from having humiliated himself in front of not one, but both sisters in short order.

"Uhh… Drink a fruity beverage at that restaurant?" Morgana suggested weakly.

"…Sure," Ren agreed to Morgana's surprise. "I can study at the same time."

"Two birds with one stone, now there's my leader!"

Smirking, Ren felt slightly better as he left to go to the restaurant. Things may have been awkward on the walk, but a movie should be fine. After all, all you do is sit there and look at the screen.

* * *

_Thursday May 26_ _th_ _, 20XX, Afternoon_

"Urgh…" Rolling around on the uncomfortable coach, Kasumi writhed as she struggled to find something to take her mind off the pain. Almost as soon as she had reached Akechi's the pain had risen by an order of magnitude. The hastily scarfed painkillers had yet to do anything to help her.

"Good god, can you do that any quieter?" Akechi spat as he tried to work on his laptop at the table.

"Screw you." Kasumi spat out. "You're the one that got me punched!"

"I thought you could take one hit!"

"It really hurt!"

"…Wimp."

"Idiot." Tirade over, Kasumi did try to maintain her silence. Raising up her phone in one hand, Kasumi opened the camera and changed it to show what the front lens was staring at. "Oh my…"

Removing her ice pack, Kasumi winced at the sight of herself. Her cheek had gotten even worse from this morning. The first thing she had done after arriving was cleanse herself of makeup. There was no way she was sitting around all day with a full face of makeup.

"Actually…" Akechi muttered, not looking away from his screen. "Can you take a few pictures of it when it's like that. It will be useful to have some documentation for later. "Maybe something to show off in the interview."

"Yes master." Kasumi sighed back. In addition to the pain, and being in Akechi's house, Kasumi already felt frayed. Her phone felt like a brick in her hand. That message from Sumire that she never managed to generate a reply to.

_I thought you liked Senpai!?_

That one line sent strange pulses through Kasumi's chest. While it was true that he was unique, Kasumi wouldn't even call it a crush. He was merely someone interesting to talk to.

Or so she told herself.

Yet, she still wasn't sure why she was so… _irate,_ to hear that he had already asked Sumire on a date. There was no other way to describe a late-night movie between just the two of them. Especially because it was supposed to be Kasumi's movie. She's the one that Sumire originally invited, and now…

"Urgh, what is wrong with me…"

"Many things. Currently, the fact that you're still speaking."

Blushing, Kasumi glared at Akechi's back. Thankfully the distraction was enough to drag her out of her thoughts. No, she was not jealous that Senpai was going to the movies with Sumi instead of her. No, she was not jealous that Sumi was going on a date with Senpai instead of her. And she was _most certainly_ not jealous that they were outside while she was cooped up in Akechi's small apartment not even allowed to make noise.

In short order, Kasumi was able to project her anger into taking pictures. Using the lighting to highlight and show off the discolouration and swelling brought on from the blow.

As she did, Akechi's comment about her not being able to take a hit crept back into her mind. No matter what he said, this was not normal. Her body was used to working hard, and while getting punched in the face wasn't exactly standard gymnastics training, Kasumi knew that it shouldn't hurt _this_ much.

Even through the traumatic slow-mo view with which she could remember the event, the principal's fist was a blur. A punch that had been trained and refined. An instinctive motion for the man.

"Akechi… Is the principal a boxer?"

"A boxer?" He asked in surprise. Not replying angrily about the interruption, he tilted his head as he considered the point. "I suppose it's possible, I never looked that deeply into his history to be honest. Trying to come up with an excuse as to why it hurts so much?"

"You're insufferable," Kasumi glared at him. "I just… I don't know. I find it weird is all…"

As she trailed off, Kasumi realized she wanted Akechi to probe, to ask for her thoughts. Predictably, the boy didn't. Even senpai's 'your hair is down', would be preferable at this point.

"I can't wait to just focus on competing again…" Muttering the words to not disturb her host, Kasumi focused on her task of taking pictures, knowing full well it would end long before her imprisonment here.

* * *

_Thursday May 26_ _th_ _, 20XX, Evening_

"Hehe… Hmm…" Laughing and sighing to herself, Sumire's head was lost in a world of darkness and tension.

Back at home, she slid a comb through her wet hair, her last preparation before bed. Despite the late hour, Kasumi wasn't home. That was the event she waited eagerly for. She wanted to tell her all about today.

How senpai had bought her popcorn, _to split._ How they had sat beside each other, leaning so their shoulders were tantalizingly close… Ah, it had been like a dream.

Now Sumire waited eagerly for Kasumi to return. So that they could compare notes. Have girl talk. Be like proper sisters.

Only one last worry hovered at the back of her mind. That this whole thing was a mistake. She had finally found her strength by attempting to solve her own problems. Would it be a problem if she relied on Senpai? If she leaned on him?

"…I'm home."

"Kas!" Growing excited, Sumire rushed to finish her hair. Running the comb through a few more times, Sumire eventually nodded satisfied. Rushing out of the washroom, she darted into the main hall only to find… "empty?"

_Click._

Turning in confusion, Sumire stared at her sister's room door that had just closed. It had barely been a minute since she got home and already she was in her room? Confused that her sister hadn't taken the time to do anything, Sumire knocked cautiously on her door.

"Hey Sis? Are you alright? I wanted to… Well I wanted to talk!"

"O-Oh, Sumire! You're still up huh?"

_Why does she sound so disappointed?_

"Can it wait until tomorrow?"

"Well I…" Frowning, this wasn't the reunion Sumire had expected at all. Her sister sounded weary. The complete opposite of how Sumire was feeling. Or had been. "It will be quick. Tell me about this friend. Did everything go okay?"

"…"

"Kas?"

"Umm, five minutes, then I have to go to bed."

"S-Sure…" Shocked by the tight timeline, Sumire hesitantly pushed the door open. Inside the dark room was her sister's figure slumped as her desk. She was leaning her cheek on the bag so that her head faced the far wall.

Without asking, Sumire flipped the light switch on. Kasumi's body jumped, but she didn't say anything to stop her.

"Kas…?"

"Uh, oh right, my friend." She answered without lifting her head. "He's uh… Outgoing I suppose. Has light brown hair and reddish eyes. Umm… I guess he lives by himself despite being in high school. His place is kind of small to be honest. Uhh… Is that all?"

_That cheek she's hiding…_

A terrible foreboding gripping Sumire, she spoke in a monotone. "Lift your head and look at me."

"Huh? Ah, just a little tired you know…"

"Kasumi!"

"…"

With exaggerated slowness, she did just that. Kasumi's typically beautiful face came into Sumire's view. Except it was covered with multiple layers of make-up. A thickness that Sumire had never seen outside of competitions.

And even with that, Sumire's eyes picked out the deviations in the lines. Where the make-up had been skillfully applied to give the illusion of symmetry. Raising a shaking hand, Sumire pressed lightly on Kasumi's cheek.

A small wince, but that's all it took to confirm her suspicions. "Oh my god… The principal punched you, didn't he?"

_Thursday May 26_ _th_ _, 20XX, Early Morning_

"Oh my god… The principal punched you, didn't he?"

_How!?_

Stricken, all Kasumi could do for the first five seconds was gape. As good as a confession. But it didn't make any sense. There's no way she should have been able to determine who had hit her, let along what. She could have walked into a street pole on the way home which caused the swelling.

"W-what are you talking about? Do you know how crazy you sound?" Kasumi denied her sister.

"W-Well…" Sumire's eyes fluttered through arrange of emotions that Kasumi couldn't keep up with. After a while it seemed to settle onto pained acceptance. "S-Sorry for saying such strange things… But umm… If you want to talk…"

"Sunday." Kasumi confirmed with a smile. Reaching out, she squeezed and Sumire's hand with the last strength she could muster in her façade. "We'll get lunch… and talk."

"…Sunday." Sumire agreed with a nod. "Se you there… Kas."

"Yes, see you there, Sumi…"

Their quiet words fading, Kasumi watched as Sumire slowly left the room and let the door click shut.

Almost before it did, Kasumi could feel hot tears streaking down her cheeks. Putting a hand in her mouth, she struggled not to scream and cry. She couldn't let them know. She had to hide it.

But as Kasumi collapsed to the floor, she felt her resolve flicker like a flame. Sumire's question had come so close to breaking her. To Kasumi bawling like a baby while she explained what was happening.

Kasumi wanted someone, anyone, to talk to. To admit how scared she is. Every day, walking through the halls of the school, wondering if she'll finally be called out on her lies, exposed and humiliated. Her club calling to inform Kasumi that due to the recent allegations brought to light, she was indefinitely suspended.

Shaking on the floor, the desire within her got stronger. Her muffled cries reaching a level where she worried Sumire would hear through the wall. The fact was though, she couldn't tell Sumire. Her sister would ruin everything that Akechi and her were attempting to create. By trying to help, Kasumi's road to freedom would collapse beneath her.

Unable to bear sitting in this room by herself, with nothing but these thoughts and confusions swirling inside her head, Kasumi pulled out her phone with a shaking hand.

Opening the contact list, she considered only two numbers: Akechi's, and a number she shouldn't even have. She had stolen Ren Senpai's from Sumire's. Her thumb hovered over the latter; she knew he would listen. He had a calm aura and felt like he could endure anything. Listen to any problem and help you out.

But… "I can't ask that from him." Muttering sadly to herself, Kasumi had noticed how excited Sumire had been. She probably had a wonderful time on her date and had been excited to tell her about it. Phoning now would just be getting in the way of them.

That left with her only one option. The only option she's had for a long time at this point. Hovering her finger over the first, Kasumi hesitated. A brief flash of thought that forced her to wonder whether it was really worth it to call him.

That indecision soon vanished, and she pressed the button. She didn't care about his stupid games anymore All Kasumi wanted from him was a guarantee, a certainty that this plan would work. That she could reclaim her life as a normal high school student focusing on rhythmic gymnastics.

" _What's wrong?"_

Kasumi actually smiled at the greeting. No preamble, just Akechi assuming that something must be wrong for her to call. Pausing briefly, Kasumi didn't want to be overheard by anyone. Her room differed from Sumire's in one way. Walking back past her bed, Kasumi moved the curtain aside to reveal a balcony. Opening the sliding glass door, she stepped out onto the cool tiled stone.

"I… I… The plan, it will work, right?"

" _That's what's worrying you? Geez, and here I thought it may be something important…"_

"It's important to me!" Kasumi yelled back. Her voice barely contained as emotion coursed through it. "It's my life… If it fails… I'll have nothing left."

" _I see…"_

The reply came after a few seconds of delay. Kasumi had no idea what Akechi's feelings were on the matter.

" _Perhaps I have been a little cold to you. Does your face still hurt?"_

"It's better than earlier," Kasumi agreed, glad for an easy question to answer. "Umm… About my cheek though, my sister knows."

" _Knows what exactly?"_

"That the principal punched me…"

" _You told her!?"_

"Of course not," Kasumi hissed back. "She waited up for me. She knows make-up too well, and I don't know how it happened! It was like she half-expected it to be there!"

" _And only from you having a swollen cheek, what exactly did she say?"_

Moved by the urgency in Akechi's voice, Kasumi had no problem recalling the words. The scene had stunned her silence. "The principal punched you, didn't he?"

"… _Ha… HAHAHA!"_

"Umm…" Muttering Kasumi had to lift her phone away from her ear to soften the blow of Akechi's maniacal laughter floating through it. "I-Isn't this a bad thing? What if she tells my parents? Or goes to the schoolboard?"

" _She won't."_

"How do you know?" Kasumi asked desperately. None of the actions were beyond this current Sumire that seemed so full of life.

" _Call it a detective's intuition."_ Akechi replied with an infuriatingly condescending tone.

"Alright… Well, I guess that's everything…"

" _If you want to keep talking for a bit, we can."_

Kasumi blushed as she could practically hear his smile. "I… No, you're busy and have things to do."

" _Talk."_ Akechi commanded.

"No… There's nothing else to say. All I have to do is follow orders for another few days and then you'll do the arrest on Saturday, then we'll do the interview Sunday morning. That's all there is to it…"

" _Yet your voice shook with uncertainty the entire time you explained it. I, to brag a little, have solved numerous difficult cases. Yours is no different. All you have to do is believe in my ability to pull this off."_

"All I have to do… Is believe in you?" The words were strange to Kasumi. She had never once before thought like that in her life. Every time she had a problem, she confronted it head on. She used her boldness to solve the issue. To rely on someone else to solve it… to avert her eyes from what needed doing…

" _Yes. Believe in me, and your life will be yours again."_

"…" Briefly hesitating, Kasumi smiled up at the night sky. Yes, this is what she had been searching for. A way out of the dilemma. Someone who could solve her problems for her. "Yes, I believe in you… Akechi."

* * *

_Friday May 27_ _th_ _, 20XX Lunchtime_

"What are you hesitating for? Just throw it in already." Morgana sighed wearily.

"You know… This is our first actual crime." Ren replied, only a faint tension in his voice betraying his true emotions. His otherwise calm demeanor perfectly intact. "Blocking the air conditioning unit…"

"It's just a prank," Morgana tried to assuage him. "come on, this is nothing compared to assaulting a guy!"

"Thanks," Ren replied drily. Then, with an unceremonious flick of his wrist, shot the half open bag of balloons down the ventilation duct and into the fan. Not staying around to see if it worked, he left with a heavy heart to attend afternoon classes.

"Why you looking so down?" Peering over his shoulder, Morgana used his last chance before they entered the building to grill Ren.

Ren sighed back, a little more of his composure breaking. "It's hard to justify claiming that we're on the correct side when we resort to hurting innocents."

"Hurting innocents?" Morgana scoffed. "That's an aggressive way to put messing with the heating system. They'll just call in a repair technician who'll grumble about pulling pieces of plastic from the stuck fan. Nothing to it."

"But in the meantime, the school will heat up. If the classrooms get too hot, we may have students fainting from the heat. Or they'll have to open windows to compensate. What if a stray gust steals someone's homework? Those are all our fault."

"W-Well…"

"Never mind." Turning away from the cat, Ren proceeded down the stairs to the third floor, then down again to his on the second. He had half been hoping that Morgana would have another comeback. Now all Ren could do was stew in silence through his afternoon classes. Half-hoping that their sabotage would fail, and the principal would leave his window open anyway.

_Ring!_

With no further ado, the afternoon classes began. First one, and then a second ended without incident. That left only the final two periods of the day. Watching the seventh period teacher through hooded eyes, Ren pulled on his shirt, trying to air himself.

"Huh?" Jerking upright, Ren considered the action a bit more. He wasn't the only person either. A large number of the students had a faint sheen about them. The process had been so natural, that Ren had barely noticed. They pulled it off. It was almost scary how easy it had been.

"Umm, Sensei?"

"Yes Mishima?" Their exhausted teacher replied to the blue-haired boy.

"Can we open a window?"

"Hmm… It is a little hot in here, very well."

"Oh boy are we good."

Smiling wryly, Ren didn't reply to the cat's comment. Ann did, however, turn around and shoot a wink at Ren.

In short order, the final two periods came to an end. With the window open, the classroom maintained a reasonable temperature, but that wasn't an issue. All they needed to do was get the principal to open his.

Standing up from his desk, Ren slung his bag over his shoulder and prepared to leave. This, in his opinion, was the most dubious part of the plan. It relied on little more than luck that they could keep the window open until tomorrow where they would sneak the calling card unto the desk.

Their plan was solid, Ren thought, but they were also attempting it in the real world. Without the power of persona, a lot could go wrong. For example, their next step of 'throwing Morgana', wasn't exactly risk free.

As he exited the front door, Ren took a right and began to loop around the building. "Keep an eye out if the student council president begins to follow us." Ren whispered to Morgana. This was a recent development that he hadn't expected to become an issue.

"I think we're good, but just in case, you should probably hand me off to someone else."

"Yes, that may be… Sumire."

"S-Senpai!?"

Frowning, Ren replied to panicked screaming. "Is… Something wrong?" Ren had been sure that Sumire had been in a good mood yesterday when they parted. Something else must have occurred since then. …He hoped.

"Ahh, umm… Well, I thought I'd help with the plan…"

"We do need to hurry," Ren agreed with a frown. The principal left his office for approximately ten minutes every day when the final bell rang. Something about noting absences and determining if any of them are becoming a problem.

"Y-Yes, let us go!"

With no more preamble, the three of them advanced to the back of the building where the principal's great windows sat on the third floor. Thankfully, they were open. That integral part of the plan was at least successful.

"Urgh…" Morgana groaned, the anxiety about the coming ordeal plain in his voice.

"Ah, are you sure this is fine, Morgana Senpai?" Sumire asked quietly.

Yes, something was definitely wrong, Ren decided.

"Haha, of course I can do this!" Morgana replied, the cocky words breaking slightly, betraying the fear.

"Come on," Ren teased, "cats always land on their feet."

"I'm not a cat!"

"You better hope you are…"

Sumire's mumbled words got an uncharacteristic snort from Ren. Reaching over his shoulder, he grabbed Morgana in his two hands. Looking up at the open window though, Ren realized he had no idea how to actually toss Morgana up there.

"Well… Let's go for it then…"

"W-Wait!?" Morgana panicked, squirming in his hands. "Why do you sound so uncertain!?"

"Umm Senpai… I have practice tossing irregular objects. Perhaps I should?"

"I-Irregular objects!?" Morgana squealed.

Ren nodded his agreement. "I doubt any of your props are cat-shaped, but here you go."

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

"Here I go…!" Sumire's previously diminished energy seemed to return in a flash, as she leaped forward and launched Morgana upwards with a two-handed toss.

"AHHH!"

Despite Morgana's screams, the toss was exquisite. It peaked directly at the window. With an outstretched claw, Morgana's body hung from the windowsill.

Ren could do no more than hold his breath as Morgana crawled inside. "That was an excellent toss."

"Thank you Senpai!" Sumire blushed lightly. "I just got lucky."

"It was more than that no doubt…" Trailing off, Ren turned his head to stare intently at the younger girl. "What's wrong?"

"It's that obvious, is it?" Sumire chuckled drily. "Umm, well… It's my sister."

"Oh, Kasumi." Blinking, Ren briefly remembered their run-in yesterday. "Is she doing alright?"

Sumire opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again and shook her head quickly. Today, her hair was down and it swirled around her, obscuring her expression.

Yet, Ren could tell, the tears that threatened to come, to overwhelm her. No doubt she had been bearing this weight all day, struggling just to survive the day.

"Hey… I'm here for you."

Without a word, Sumire turned to him and buried her face in her chest. Shocked, Ren didn't know how to react. He stood there awkwardly, his arms rising to encircle her, then falling back to his side. Even as her tears stained his shirt, Ren was lost. He'd seen her this despondent once, but since then Sumire seemed so much stronger.

In the metaverse, he was Joker. He was fearless and able to provide a witty comeback. Right now, Ren couldn't draw on that. He stared starstruck as Sumire wept pitifully.

"Why!? Why doesn't she trust me!?"

'W-What do you mean?"

Finally, Sumire looks up at him. Her wet eyes meeting his confused ones. "What we saw in the metaverse, it happened! She was punched! She practically admitted it, but…!" Ending abruptly, Sumire turned back to tears, unable to muster the strength for more words.

"…I see." Muttering under his breath, Ren sighed. The images of yesterday flowing through his mind. Kasumi's hair wasn't the only difference, she had been wearing more make-up. To hide the wound no doubt. It made sense.

Taking one glance up at the third floor, Ren spied Morgana at work on the closing mechanism of the principal's window. They were running out of time.

"I don't have all the answers." Ren admitted. "I think… You just have to be ready to be there for Kasumi when she needs you."

"Needs… Me? Do you think she really does?"

"I think she does. I actually met her yesterday. At the station briefly, just after you left."

"Huh?"

Smiling at her, Ren tried to find the words that he was struggling to put in order. "She felt bad that she couldn't go to the movie with you. I think she was glad that we could go together."

"Ah, but that…"

Ren didn't understand Sumire's mumbled words, but the crying had stopped. Instead a puzzled expression had consumed her.

_Thud!_

"Oww…"

"Morgana!?" Turning back to the entrance, Ren was aghast to find the cat upside down on his back, limbs splayed to all sides.

"I didn't… Land on my feet."

"Well, hopefully you do better tomorrow," Joker snickered. "Now come on, we have to meet up with everyone and get the calling card form Yusuke."

"Umm… thank you again, Senpai. Kasumi didn't give up on me. Even when I ran away from her… She made me stop. She helped me…"

"That's right," Ren smiled back at her. "Now it's your turn. Tomorrow, we'll change the principal's heart and free your sister from her problems."

"You're right. Then… Sunday, we can become sister's again."

Walking side-by-side, Ren struggled to hide his smile. Sumire's eyes had once regained their fierce determination.

* * *

_Friday May 27_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

"So, tomorrow's the day, huh?" Kasumi's voice drifted from the coach to Akechi's ears.

He thought briefly about ignoring her for breaking his rules but decided against it. If he was being honest, his productivity had hit rock-bottom since she began showing up at his apartment. There was something transfixing about having another person around. Someone working toward a shared goal. Even if his goals went far beyond anything that the girl could imagine.

"Yes. Saturday after school, your principal will be in custody." Akechi agreed with a slight nod. Steepling his fingers, Akechi laid his chin upon them. The whole time, his back ramrod straight with perfect posture. His unruffled suit providing him an air of dignity despite the less than luxuriant surroundings.

"Hmm… Then comes our big moment, right?"

Akechi tracked Kasumi's movements out of the corner of his eye as she got off the couch and came to the table. Ignoring the chair, she slid onto the side of the table itself. Not looking at him, Kasumi's hand drifted over to the center of the table where supper sat. Akechi had simply ordered in cheap sushi for them to snack on. Kasumi's hand snaked out and grabbed a piece of tuna sashimi. With a dextrous toss she devoured the thing in one bite.

One aspect of the girl Akechi had underestimated was her stomach. He had predicted the amount would provide him at least one extra meal, even if left over sushi wasn't exactly ideal. Now there were a scant few pieces remaining.

"Yes… Our big moment. You showed promise during the previous two interviews. Shall I write a script beforehand, or do you believe you can wing it?"

Before last night, Akechi knew the answer he would receive. ' _Of course I can! It's you I worry about!'_ That didn't happen anymore. Instead, she thought over his words briefly before responding.

"I doubt we need an entire script. After all, the interviewers' questions can't be completely predicted. We do need a plan on the finer points, so we don't contradict ourselves."

"Alright," Akechi agreed with a smile, lounging back in his chair. "What finer points need discussion."

Kasumi took another piece and ate it while thinking. "You know, this sushi's not very good."

"It was cheap," Akechi laughed back, slightly affronted. This was a side of the girl he hadn't seen before. Her expression wasn't as guarded. She was more open.

More vulnerable.

The thought threatened to turn Akechi's smile into an evil smirk of joy. So many possibilities ran through his mind. On top of the revelation that she had provided him yesterday about her sister.

"Well, for one, how did we meet? How did you recruit me in your quest to find out the truth of Shujin academy?"

"Your father." Akechi answered easily. "You came with him to the studio. It was there we began talking and my detective senses tingled. The very next day, I had you on a show telling the world about your bravery."

"Alright," Kasumi agreed with a nod of her head. "It takes attention away from me, that's good."

"Oh, don't sound so disappointed, you'll still be famous… Just not as famous as me."

Sticking out her tongue at him, Kasumi's cheeks coloured slightly. If Akechi was being honest, it was slightly unnerving to stare at her left cheek when she had no make-up on. Their continual efforts had finally reduced the swelling, but the colouration was just as bad. Mottled purple and black skin stretched in a pattern that was clearly recognizable as a fist. Looking at it, Akechi believed Kasumi's claim about the principal being a boxer. This wound wasn't made by your average person.

"After that… all according to my predictions may I add… the principal called you to his office. Blackmailed you into keeping it up. Your popularity is exactly what he needs to bring his school back up again, as well as distancing himself from Kamoshida."

Kasumi's mouth twisted slightly in mirth. "And if someone calls us on this lie?"

"Where's the lie?" Akechi asked. Eyes twinkling, he waited for the girl's response. For her sharp wit to manifest itself again and entertain him.

"The twisting of the timeline," she predictably replied. "Why not keep it simple? The principal set up the interview because he blackmailed me first."

"It makes the principal sound overly desperate." Akechi explained. "The story is how we knew Kamoshida wasn't the root of the problem. How _we_ began delving deeper into the heart of the problem. The principal responded to our probing. It needs to be about our successes, not the principal's idiotic choices."

Kasumi nodded to each statement, no snide comment coming in reply. "But still, what if someone finds out?"

"What's there to know?" Akechi smirked. "Your interviews are public domain. Kamoshida's in jail. The principal is in jail. Who is there who knows?"

"…My family." Kasumi breathed.

Akechi's eyes widened. A point he'd overlooked. Her father had set up the first interview. Kobayakawa had blackmailed all four of them.

"Forget that?"

"Hmm… Well, it does put them in an awkward spot," Akechi admitted. "But… what will they do? Expose your story as inconsistent?"

"…No. They'll keep quiet." Kasumi agreed with a pained expression. "It's just…"

"You won't know how to talk to them," he guessed, using his detective's intuition. "You're worried it will change your relationship."

"My father's eyes are filled with guilt every time he sees me…" Kasumi admitted, bowing her head. "My mother never knows what to say. Only Sumire…"

"…" Staying silent, Akechi listened with wonder to this declaration of private details he never would have been privy to before.

"Sumire will never change. She's so honest and gentle…"

"That's quite a bond you have there… Don't worry about her, if she's ever in trouble, the two of us can help her out."

"Trouble? What trouble would Sumire ever be in?"

"Oh, you never know…" Akechi struggled to contain his laughter. The situation was just too rich. Every time Kasumi opened up to him about her phantom thief sister, she further sealed her doom. "I mean, who would have ever guessed you'd be in this kind of situation?"

"…You're right," Kasumi admitted with an awkward laugh. "But after this, the only struggles in my life are coming from gymnastics!"

"Well, best of luck with that…"

"And… Thanks Akechi. Knowing that you are on my side… It really helps."

Receiving her beaming smile, Akechi felt a momentary tug of guilt. Soon enough though, that vanished and he returned the smile. She didn't know the struggle of growing up an orphan. Of having done everything in your power to get the attention of bastard that abandoned you. To help him build an empire… and then collapse it around his head.

Soon…

Oh, the time was coming oh so soon!

"A-Akechi?"

"Huh? Did you say something?"

"N-No… It's nothing."

"Well," Akechi smiled. "I guess this brings our time together to an end."

"Yes… I suppose it does."

"You sound sad," Akechi teased.

"I… I guess I am a little," Sumire shrugged. Her face turning away from him with a slight blush.

"Hmm…" Mentally, Akechi stalled. There was a plan he could try, but… Deciding it was too risky at the present time, Akechi shelved it. "Don't fear. We will still be in contact. After all… You still haven't paid."

"Huh?" A spark of confusion burst momentarily in Kasumi's eyes. A second later she smiled easily. "I haven't at that, have I?"

* * *

_Saturday, May 28_ _th_ _, 20XX, After school_

"Do we know if he read it?" Sumire asked wearily.

"We will shortly." Ryuji answered her, rolling his shoulder. The group took their energy from him. His serious nature reminding them, especially the two newcomers, that today was serious. It was do or die.

"Let's go." Ren declared. Pulling out his phone, he initiated the transfer. Instantly, the world around him melted and changed, the early afternoon light transforming into the darkness of the side streets of Kobayakawa's palace. At the same time, his Shujin uniform melted away and left him in his thief's gear.

The power that flowed through his body was intoxicating. If it wasn't he probably would have fled from the malevolent aura being emitted from the palace. The light had changed from its spotlight form. It was back to an illuminating presence… except it was no longer white. It cast a ruddy red glow over the entire area.

If it had been bad on Wednesday, it was a million times worse right now. Joker could practically feel a gaze boring into his skull. Whispers from his surroundings, piercing his senses.

_You aren't welcome._

_You aren't welcome._

"Creepy." Joker commented in a monotone. "Anyway, everyone ready?"

"Haha, you bet I am!" Skull roared in response. "Time for our second round!"

"Heh, this will truly be a marvelous display…"

Glad that morale was high, Joker led them into the palace. Up and up, ascending the levels, they paused for little. Most of the obstacles from earlier were completely avoidable. In short order, they reached the fifth floor again. Funding the place that shadow Kasumi had opened for them, Joker and the crew crossed and exited at the trampolines.

Like it had been when they left on Wednesday, the trampolines had shifted positions to form a straight line across. With relative ease, they all crossed and stared up at the blue stairs to the sixth floor. The threshold that they reached yesterday. Now, they had one chance to not only find the treasure, which should be somewhere on the seventh floor, but steal its materialized form.

Trying not to hesitate, Joker climbed the stairs and reached the door. At this point, any pretense of a playground and been stripped away to reveal the mechanical structure beneath. The door appeared to have been made from solid steel. It was cold to touch and stretched at least ten metres up to the roof. Its presence was one of dominance. With its size, Joker wondered if the final door would somehow be even larger.

Not delaying, joker pulled out the key he had received from shadow Kasumi on Wednesday. With no slot in the door except the seam, Joker went for it with a smile and stuck the key between the two halves.

After a half second, a loud grinding noise rang out from the door. With an inexorable slowness, the doors began to open. Sliding away from each other, the doors began to recede into their frames. It was an impressive display what Joker would have loved to watch at any other point in time.

Unfortunately, the air on the sixth floor felt even more dangerous than the previous five. They were in unknown territory and had to press on until the end.

The room ahead was once again beyond Joker's imagination. It made the surveillance in the walls look pathetic and redundant. The walls of the corridor were lined with monitors. Each one displaying a different image and cycled through them at a regular interval. What was really different was the stations below them. Each one looking like a standard keyboard and mouse combination.

"What do you suppose those are for?" Skull whispered loudly, his voice carrying through the group.

"I don't know," Joker answered far more quietly. Deciding it may be worth it, Joker crept over to the closest one and moved the mouse. There was a smaller monitor, right above the keyboard and mouse that responded to his touch.

"Alter… Game parameters?" Muttering to himself, Joker pressed on some more buttons. After a tense moment, everything clicked into place with one brief revelation. "They can change the difficulty of the games from here. Also… I'm assuming they have the ability to rig them."

"Wwwhat…" Skull replied dumbly.

"I see,' Mona pondered his words. "It's a tool for controlling the masses. Stopping anyone from getting too cocky and trying to move up."

"Probably," Joker nodded. "Still, I'm surprised we didn't run into more issues with it."

"We never really played any games though, did we?" Violet reminded him. "The only one was the climbing competition you did Senpai. That doesn't really seem riggable."

"Not from here anyway," Joker admitted. "Oh well, let's keep moving."

The corridor just kept going. Just as Joker began wondering if this was the entire floor, it ended. A T-intersection at what Joker assumed was the edge of the floor. Looking left and right, both paths looked identical.

"Anyone prefer a certain side?"

"I have always been partial to the right."

"…You got it Fox." Joker shook his head at the comment from their new, strangest member. Following the right path, their boots echoed off the cold steel. Yet despite the oppressive aura, no shadows attacked them. Joker couldn't help but wonder if the Principal was baiting them in. Opening up the passages and accepting the challenge that they had issued with their calling card. After a short distance, it took another turn.

With growing certainty, Joker took the turn without even a glance ahead. Meeting his expectations was another pure steel corridor with no decorations. Walking down this long corridor, Joker was confident the left turn would have ended up at an identical place.

A few minutes later, the end came into view and the thieves took another right turn. Coming in from the left branch of this T-intersection, Joker stopped and stared at the stairs in the middle of the corridor. They glowed a deep purple and there was no other ornamentation, or section that they appeared to have missed.

"Well, onto the seventh."

"Hold up!" panther frowned, "we didn't find the guardian to get a key from them. We can't get through!"

"Do you see them?" Joker asked.

"Yeah, seriously Panther. Pay attention," Skull smirked teasingly.

"Lady Ann is doing her best you vulgar ape!"

"Guys…"

"What did you say to me cat!?"

"Guys!" Ending the argument at an awkward stalemate, Joker glared at both of them. "You're going to get us killed. Learn to work together or I'll be forced to remove both of you from future operations."

Simultaneously they opened their mouths to argue Joker's harsh words. Staring into his glare, they both backed down.

"S-Senpais, let's do our best, okay!"

In the face of Violet's plea, they looked slightly embarrassed. Joker didn't care as long as they shaped up and worked together. However, as time went on, that prospect seemed more and more unlikely. If Joker had to guess, it came from their shared fixation on Panther.

Not wanting to waste further time, Joker climbed the violet stairs to the seventh floor. Like each previous staircase, this one too had its own unique flare. Each step looked almost hollow. Some clear, hard substance formed into rectangles that were mounted on two rails running from the floor up to the doors to the seventh. These clear steps were emitting a harsh violet light, almost like each one was a neon lightbulb. Standing on them was a strange experience as Joker could barely see his feet through the assault of light on his senses.

Making his way to the top, Joker stopped, stunned by the door in front of him. It was far smaller than the previous, but in many ways, far more majestic. Its surface glittered with clear gemstones that caught and reflected the purple light in dazzling streams.

"Diamonds…" Muttering to himself, Joker ran a hand across the door. If he could strip them off and bring them with him to the real world, he'd never have to work a day in his life. Swallowing, he tried to focus on the task ahead of him. One exceedingly more important than attempting to use the metaverse to become rich. A possibility the place contained that Joker wondered if he was the only that had picked up on.

Reaching out, Joker grabbed at the violet handle of the three-meter door and pushed.

_Click!_

The mechanism responded, indicating that it was accessible. Heartened by the noise, Joker pushed. "Huh?"

The door hadn't moved. Joker wasn't sure, but it didn't feel like a lock that was stopping him.

"Oh, is it locked after all?" Skull asked.

"No… It's just…" Trailing off, Joker leaned over and put his strength behind the door. Heaving, nothing happened. On the verge of giving up, Joker gritted his teeth and threw one last attempt against it with all his strength.

_Krrr!_

Letting out a horrible grinding noise, the door shifted. It hadn't even cleared its partner when Joker collapsed against it. "Heavy…"

"Are you okay Senpai!?" Dashing to his side, Violet ran a worried eye down his body.

"I'm fine." Glancing away in embarrassment, Joker waved the men forward. "Come on, with three with we should be fine."

"Oh, don't you want my aid?" Violet wondered.

"Ah, leave them be," Panther smiled at her. "This is a job for the big strong men to prove themselves useful."

"Oh… I see."

"H-Hold on! I'm a man, I can help!" Mona pled. Giving the cat a glance, Joker denied him with a swift shake of his head.

"We're fine."

"Yeah, that's right," Skull started.

Before Skull could continue his, obviously rude comment, Joker smashed on his foot.

"Oww!"

"Shut up and open it."

"As you wish Joker."

The boys came together with one coordinated motion. The door responded by shifting. A whole handsbreadth.

"You moved this on your own!?" Skull asked in awe.

"Such weight!" Fox added on flabbergasted.

"Again." Joker commanded mercilessly. "We just need to get it far enough that everyone can squeeze through."

"On it!"

With many grunts and swears, the three worked together to open the imposing door. The stone of the inlaid door scraping noisily over the floor the entire time. Each time the noise echoed; Joker's neck tingled with apprehension. There was no way that no one had heard this.

They would be walking face-first into the principal's trap, and all because he had made them pull out early on Wednesday. Even as he cursed his decision, the door paused, a half a metre gap for them to slide through.

Nodding in appreciation of their aid, Joker went through first, peering through the gap to ensure it was clear.

Feeling a sinking sensation in his chest, Joker recognized the white area that he entered into. Sneaking through, he climbed up the short staircase in the room onto a platform that he'd been on before. The entrance to the slide was right in front of them, the grate still lowered in front of the entrance.

"Well, you actually came."

"Kobayakawa!?" Joker yelled in surprise as a voice rang out from the top of a second set of white stairs.

"You're here for this, aren't you? Well don't just wait there."

Bug-eyed, Joker stared at the treasure in Kobayakawa's hand. It emanated a power that Joker remembered from Kamoshida's crown. This time though, it was nothing less than a boxer's cummerbund: A championship belt.

"Am I the only one that thinks this is a trap?"

Joker considered Mona's words briefly but shook his head. "The goal is to win competitions to climb the playground. We've done that, instead of skipping through the slide like last time. Now we should get our fight against him."

"Umm, Senpai, did you forget the cheating devices?"

Violet's words were a sobering dose of cold water. However, they didn't really change anything. "He has the treasure, we want it. But… You are correct. We need to remain vigilant. Based on the treasure, I'm going to assume he'll be a physical based shadow. Skull and I will try to distract his attention. Violet and Mona are back-up, focus on healing and granting those enhancements. Fox and Panther, try to work together to sniff out any tricks and disable them."

"…"

Hearing no complaints, Joker wanted to get this out of the way. His heart was pumping quickly, sending a healthy dose of adrenaline through his veins. Once again, he could feel that reckless nature rise up that threatened to take over. A swagger that allowed him to pull off insane feats at the detriment of putting himself into stupid situations.

"Let's go."

Climbing the stairs, Joker led the phantom into the final arena of Kobayakwa's palace.

* * *

_Saturday May 28_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Kobayakawa Botan, you are under arrest for assault and extortion of a minor. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

Smirking at the man, Akechi never tired of saying that line. It was supposed to be a declaration of the person's rights. An acknowledgement that while they have taken into custody, they are still human. Innocent until proven to guilty.

But for Akechi, they had taken on a different meaning. They were a declaration that he had already won. With the power he had behind him, all of Akechi's arrests had been convicted in short order. This man would be no different. All the requisite evidence had already been filed away. The only step left at this point was to fulfill his role as the detective prince on the show tomorrow and bask in his newfound popularity.

Entering the office behind him, two uniformed officers approached the stocky man from either side of his desk. They took slow steps, giving the principal time to stand up and submit himself to being handcuffed. Neither of them were expecting a hard time here.

However, Akechi wondered. The anger and inferiority he had displayed in hitting Kasumi may rear its head again here.

"How- how dare you!" Standing up, the principal slammed his hands on the desk. The meaty appendages thudding dangerously against the hard-oaken surface.

Both officers took a half-step back, the sudden display of violence giving credence to the charges Akechi had laid on him.

"Now Sir, be reasonable. Hands behind your back, nice and easy now."

"N-No! This can't be happening. Not on today of all days…"

_Today of all days, huh._

Akechi wondered if he had actually done it. Predicted the thieves to a level where they had delivered the calling card but hadn't finished the change of heart. Ecstasy flowing through him, Akechi struggled to maintain his persona as he waved the officers forward.

"N-No… I know people at the SIU! You can't do this to me!"

"No one is above the law Botan," Akechi informed him with a half smile.

"Grr…" Despite the display of anger, the principal allowed himself to be handcuffed. His thick wrists bulging against the metal that dug into them.

Moving aside to let the officers out first with the arrested principal, Akechi walked quickly around the desk. He didn't have a lot of time, but if his assumption was correct…

_Got it!_

Pulling open the top drawer, it was sitting right on top. A small card, the size of a postcard. Printed on the thick paper was a logo that was much improved over the one that had been presented to Kamoshida. Akechi guessed that to be the work of the artist Yusuke. The thieves must have won him over to their side to aid them in taking down his mentor Madarame. The other side was familiar well, if not better made and written than the last one.

It accused Botan of being negligent of his school, extorting and abusing students, and enabling Kamoshida's crimes. The list was accurate, Akechi had to admit. Kobayakawa certainly had no right to his title as principal.

Pocketing the card, Akechi closed the drawer and left. His gloves ensuring that there was no trace of his interference. Not that he would allow a detective team into this office.

He caught up to the officers on the first floor where a small crowd gathered. As some time had passed since final bell, and it being a Saturday meant almost everyone was gone. It appeared, however, that a student council meeting had just ended.

"Ma-Makoto! Get your sister to demand my release! If you don't… I'll-I'll…" The principal whined.

Excited by the scenario, Akechi hung back, he didn't want to interrupt and change the girl's answer.

"U-Umm…"

The weak, taken aback response disappointed Akechi. He had expected more backbone, like Sae. However, it seemed her sister had taken all the talent in the family.

"It's okay Makoto, he can't hurt you anymore."

_Well, that brings an end to that._ Akechi sighed silently to himself. Kasumi's interference brought an end to any possibility of anything interesting happening.

"You!? Wait… YOU did this!? You bitch! We had a deal!" The principal's unhinged screaming blew everyone back a step. Even the officers didn't react as the principal took a step away from them and approached Kasumi.

"Get away!" Stepping in front of Kasumi, Makoto held her arms open wide to protect the girl from the principal's advance. "I won't help you and neither will my sister! The law will determine your fate." With that she turned around and walked away, grabbing Kasumi's hand and pulling her along with her.

Akechi caught one surprised look from the girl and a surreptitious wink. Replying with an identical one, he did have to admit that having a partner was somewhat fun. It was a person that he could share in the success of a mission with. Well, someone besides Shido who only cared about what it meant for himself.

"Please restrain him officers."

"Ah, I'm so sorry detective, it won't happen again."

"No worries, no one got hurt." Akechi assured them with a practised smile.

"Even… Even Makoto betrayed me…"

Akechi saw the moment it happened. When the fight and willpower fled. Having been betrayed multiple times, the principal had turned into a shell. Only despair filled his eyes. If he was alone, Akechi would have burst out laughing. It was hilarious.

* * *

_Saturday May 28_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Beyond the doorway was a room Joker had seen pictures of before, but never expected to in real life. It was an arena for martial fighting. On all sides sat benches, forming a perfect square around the arena. Joker entered from the top of one of the sides. There were stairs down to the arena floor. The arena itself sat maybe a metre above the floor, with stairs leading back up to it. On the far side of the arena, the benches were different; the central staircase kept rising and ended in a throne. Unless he was mistaken, Joker believed the entire thing was composed of diamond and the floor beneath it gave off a soft white light that the chair scattered in a sparkling array.

Shadow Kobayakawa stood on the far side of the arena facing them. As before, he looked almost the same as the real principal. The differences were slight but turned him from frumpy to fit. Perhaps more important than the physical changes, was the difference in his presence from the real world. Before, he had come off as lazy and incompetent. The shadow had neither of those qualities. His eyes conveyed a sharp, ruthless intelligence.

"Step into the ring."

"Ha, you think we're just going to…"

_Click!_

"Step into the ring."

"You bastard…" Smirking at the shadow, Joker didn't need to look behind to see that the door they had entered through had shut. They had been trapped in this room with the shadow and his treasure.

Walking forward, Joker descended the stairs before rising back up into the arena. "Give us the treasure and we won't hurt you."

"Hurt… me?" Pausing for a moment, the shadow erupted into laughter. "You fool! I am the Supreme Bully! King of the Playground! Kobayakawa the Undefeatable! Kneel before me thieves and I shall grant you a swift death!"

Joker balked slightly under his aura. Before his unbelieving eyes, the shadow slipped off his robe. His upper body was muscled like an athlete's. Even more daunting were the instruments covering his hands. They shimmered with a golden light. Protruding from each knuckle were spikes that narrowed to a sharp point. The gruesome image of shadow Kasumi's face flashed before Joker's eyes. There was no doubt that her injury was the result of a punch from these things.

"Shivering in fear already? Well, let's get this over with. Winner takes all."

"…You're on." Joker replied with a fearless smile. This was no time for hesitation. Losing himself in that recklessness, Joker shouted out one final instruction to his party. "Everyone, stick to the plan."

""You got it, leader!""

Hoping against hope that a boxer would be scared of eating a bullet, Joker whipped out his pistol and fired. Squeezing the trigger, he put all eight rounds into the shadow.

"The hell you think you're doing!?" The principal roared at him. "Put that toy away and fight like a man!"

The bullets lay in a pile around him. It was clear they had done a grand total of zero damage. This wasn't the first time that Joker had encountered a shadow that negated a certain type of attack, this was, however, the most worrying. Joker wanted his face nowhere near an attack from this guy.

"Then how bout this, tough guy! Get maced!" Roaring, Skull answered Joker's expectations perfectly by leaping into the fray and swinging his weapon powerfully down at the shadow's head.

"Now that's more like it!" Hiding behind his arms, the shadow adopted a boxer's posture to protect their head.

_Cling!_

With a distinct metallic noise, Ryuji's attack bounced off the metal weapons that the principal covered his hands with.

Smirking slightly, Joker was glad to see that the attack did more than his. The principal took damage from the blow. Even if it wasn't a lot.

"Ha!"

"W-What!?" Skull, with his weapon still high was caught off guard as the principal countered his attack. The jab was so fast Joker almost it. "Gaah!"

Skull's body was blown back three metres and ended up beside Joker. Bent over his midsection, Skull struggled to rise back to his feet.

"What power…" The exchange had made one thing clear. They had no chance of winning this fight in a two-on-one scuffle.

Luckily, it wasn't two-on-one.

"Shape up in there!" Despite Mona's words, he still provided Skull with a healing light that restored most of the damage he took.

"Heh, thanks cat."

"Don't forget it!"

The interaction was surprisingly cordial. The two of them locked in some strange competition that allowed them to aid each other in combat. Joker didn't pretend to know the intricacies of it.

"Here Senpai!"

Consuming Joker's body was a soft golden light that quickly faded. Even as it left, he felt a change in him, or more accurately, in the aura of his persona's power that gave him his superhuman abilities in the metaverse. It was a different feeling than he had experienced from other personas. They had changed power, defensive capabilities, and speed. Joker felt like none of those had been affected.

Deciding to believe in what Violet had done, Joker followed up on Ryuji's strategy. Keep the shadow's focus on the two of them.

"Come, Slime!" Calling forth one of his personas, Joker ordered the blob to attack the shadow. It was a risky decision, but based on the shadow's proclivity for physical moves, the persona was his best at taking melee hits.

"Ha, that was supposed to hurt!?"

"This is going to take forever," Skull growled from beside him. "He's just playing with us."

Joker nodded gruffly. The shadow had been immune to his gun, and then resisted both Skull's and his attacks. Plus, based on the shadow's confident gleam in his eyes, he had confidence in his abilities to defeat them despite their help.

"Take this kid! My secret technique is a true knockout!"

"Oh shit." Eyes going wide, Joker could do little but watch as the principal attacked him. In an instant the five-metre gap between them closed.

The shadow's fists were a blur. Three quick jabs to the gut followed by a left uppercut. As Joker was staggering backward, the final blow came in. A huge roundhouse from the shadow's right fist. His eyes gleaming with confidence as his ultimate move came in deliver the final hit. Each attack had gone straight through the resistance to melee attacks that Joker had assumed he possessed when he started the fight.

However, as he watched the punch that would seal his fate approach, Joker felt his body begin to move on its own. No, not quite. It was being pushed by something.

_Violet's aid!_

Smiling, Joker ducked around the fist. The force of the blow ripping out a couple hairs on his head. Bringing his knife up, Joker countered the attack mercilessly.

"Gragh!?" Blown back, the shadow fell to the ground back where he had started his attack from. "W-What…? No one… Has countered my combo before… It let me… Repel the bullies…"

"Bullies?" Softly muttering the word, Joker winced as he ran an arm over his stomach. The first four attacks had dealt serious damage. Only whatever Violet had done saved him.

"Urgh… God damn it! I trained and I trained so that no one would bully me anymore! I am the Supreme Bully! I bully people!"

"No, you're a pathetic principal," Violet scolded the ranting man with cold eyes. "You are scared of losing your power so you abuse those beneath you to get what you want."

"That's my right!" The shadow screamed back at her. "If I don't deliver results, then that man will… No, in the school I'm invincible!"

"Hmm…" Trying to quickly process this new information, Joker came to a rapid conclusion. The nature of the palace, the paranoia. "You got bullied growing up, so you learned to fight. However, beating up those that oppressed you didn't fix anything, did it? You were given your position as principal by someone, weren't you? You know that there are people outside far stronger than you. That's why it's all shadows."

"Ha… I started from the bottom boy; you are right about that. But… Don't think I'm just some puppet! I'm the ruler here! And… I have subjects to aid me! Come now, chosen!"

Freezing in place, Joker's eyes jumped around the room, searching for where the chosen would be coming from. At this point, the only logical thing for it to be was shadow Makoto. As one second ticked past, and then a second, nothing happened.

"…Did you hear me!? Come here now!"

_Creak!_

This the sound of rarely used hinges squeaking, a hidden door on the right side opened slowly. With it being the same colour as the wall, it blended in well. From the space within, a figure emerged. As the shadows surrounding them faded, Joker's breath hitched.

Then, a moment later, a smile split his face.

"Y-You!? W-What are you doing here!? Where is my Chosen!?" The principal screamed, his voice breaking with fear and confusion.

"Sorry, Principal." Walking with a swagger, shadow Kasumi paused at the edge of the stairs. "Miss President decided that you could deal with the thieves on your own."

"On… my own?"

"That's right!" Kasumi confirmed. "You got this position on your own, surely you can hold it?"

"Got it… On my own…? That's right! I did! No matter how many of you brats come, I'll take you all on!"

"Do you honestly think that's how this is going to go?" Joker asked the shadow. "You have nothing left. Give up the treasure."

"Ha! I still have tricks up my sleeve. Behold!" With a dramatic flourish, the shadow pulled a remote from the back of his belt. "With this, I can trap the two of you in here and kill you. Then I can open it and deal with the others!"

_Now would be great…_

Just as he was thinking it, the sound of gunfire rang out from the wings. With a barrage of bullets from two sides, the remote in the principal's hand got shredded.

"And now?" Joker asked.

"I… I can still kill you!"

As the principal dashed forward, Joker stared wide-eyed as the fist approached. He hadn't been healed from the last attack he'd suffered. There was a high chance that this blow would knock him out. Joker could only hope that some of the medicine he bought from Takemi could be used to stabilize him.

_Cling!_

"Huh?"

"W-What?"

Neither Joker nor the principal could understand what happened as the blow never landed. The fist was hovering a handsbreadth away from Joker's fist. In its path were two crossed blades. One silver, one black.

"Hmm, it seems we had the same idea Sumi."

"W-Well, I couldn't let him hit Senpai!"

"Ha, try to keep up!"

"T-That's my line!"

Blinking slowly, Joker could only watch as the two moved in on the retreating Principal. Probably out of fear, he ducked behind his arms again. It was the same stance he used to stop Skull's devastating blow and counter.

Only this time…

"Hraag!"

"Hiyah!"

With dual, similar cries the girls began eviscerating the shadow. His defense proved ineffectual against the numerous, harrowing blows that they pounded him with.

From every angle imaginable their blades slashed. Swift flashes of light and darkness, interweaving in a beautiful pattern.

"Gaaaah! S-Stop it!"

Falling backward, the principal held his hands up pathetically. His whole body was shaking with fear. The girls twin assault had proved unstoppable for him.

"…" Rapier hesitating, Violet stood over the shadow uncertainly. Joker stepped forward to move beside her. Before he could get there though, shadow Kasumi laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered something.

"Well, this was fun! You weren't so tough after all, Mr. Supreme Bully!" Speaking out loud, shadow Kasumi's words still carried a bit of vindicated pride in them.

"Grr…"

"Umm, Kas… Fighting beside you was…"

"Why do you look so sad? It will happen again. Maybe I won't be me when it happens, but… I know you can make it happen."

"R-Really?" Violet's words were weak but filled with hope. "Umm, you were amazing…"

"You too. I couldn't do this on my own. Trust me, I tried." The shadow added with a slight laugh.

"Don't… Get so cocky!" Roaring, the principal's shadow exploded to his feet. Drawing back his right fist he sent it forward with dreadful momentum. The same blow that had injured the shadow so desperately before came baring down on her now unmarked face.

Half a second before impact, a change came over the principal's shadow. Staggering, the fist missed, and the shadow crashed back to the ground. "No… Friends… No help… Ahh…"

"What the hell?" Muttering to himself, Joker walked over and examined the shadow. The eyes that had once displayed an extreme confidence and determination were empty.

The shadow glanced up at the two girls staring down at him. As he did, the blank expression transformed into terror. "N-No! You're here to bully me! Just like before!"

"N-No!" Violet protested, trying to get a word in.

"You are!" The principal moaned. "It's not my fault that I'm ugly, I was born this way! Why do people have to be so mean!?"

As he joined the two girls in a semicircle around the cowering shadow, Joker felt an unexpected emotion stirring: pity. "They had no right to do that to you."

"I know!" The principal belted out, ugly tears staining his face. "Why was I born so ugly!?"

"But…" Joker continued, "that gave you no right to treat others like you were."

"Ah…"

"After you felt so much pain… Why would you inflict it on others?"

"I…" Bowing his head, the shadow had no reply, his eyes empty. "Here, take this. I shall… think on what you've said."

Taking the proffered treasure, Joker glanced between the two girls that had been silent through the exchange. "Anything else to say?"

Shadow Kasumi shook her head and turned on heel, striding out of the room. The abrupt exit was startling. Only moreso was that Violet didn't run after her. Apparently, they had already made their peace with this parting.

"I hate what you've done to my sister. The despondent look in her eye…"

"Violet…" Muttering softly, Joker's hand hovered above her shoulder. Unsure whether he should initiate contact as a sign of support.

"But… Seeing you like this, I understand. As long as I offer her support and love… I'm sure she'll bounce back stronger than ever."

"She will." Completing the contact, Joker squeezed lightly and tried to draw his hand back. However, he found Violet's gloved hand on his. The red and white contrasting brilliantly.

"Yes, she will… Let's go home Senpai."

* * *

_Saturday May 28_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Done…" Moaning, Sumire ran a hand through her loose hair that was now freed from her hair tie in the metaverse. While she didn't mind the look, she was starting to acknowledge how much more convenient it was to just tie it back and be done. No hair obscuring your vision, no eating hair.

However, that thought quickly drifted from her mind as she turned in the small alleyway to the rest of the group. When she had imagined this day, she thought they would be celebrating at this point. An easy ride down the slide and then victory.

Instead, it left an almost bitter taste in her mouth. Sumire had been eager to face the villain that had ruined her sister's life and bring him to justice. But all that they found was an overgrown child afraid of the world. Lashing out at those beneath him because he could.

"So, Leader, what's the treasure?" Ryuji put a comfortable arm around Senpai's shoulders and stared down at his hands.

Following Ryuji's eyes, Sumire located a sheet of paper in Senpai's hands where the belt had been before. "What does it say?"

"It's a medical certificate," he responded. Senpai's voice was tight, any emotions he may be feeling repressed. "It's a report that mentions his condition can never be fixed and that he'll live with it his entire life."

"Dude…" Ryuji muttered. "I feel kind of bad for calling him names now."

"It is what it is." Senpai answered, his eyes staring straight ahead. "He was hurting the students at our school and needed to be stopped. Everyone, enjoy your weekend, we're back onto Madarame on Monday."

"You got it."

"Yeah…"

In general, all of the answers were lukewarm. No one seemed especially happy with their victory. With little celebration, the group broke up to go home.

"Hey, Senpai…"

"What's up Sumire?"

"Do you think the principal is still at school?"

"Hmm… Probably," he agreed after thinking about it for a little. "Why?"

"I… I want to see if I can talk to him. Also, did you see the change at the end? It felt like something else changed him."

"You…" Senpai paused as he considered her words. "Let's go."

Walking silently together, Sumire felt her hesitancy return now that she was back on this side. Once again, she had relied on Senpai to decide her path. Instead of just declaring that she wanted to visit the principal and see if anything had happened, she needed his approval and support.

_Am I really going to get any stronger like this?_

The thought was plaguing her. If she kept relying on Senpai to guide her and aid her, would she ever be able to achieve her goals?

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh!? Uhh, n-no… Just thinking on some stuff."

"Today didn't go as I expected either," Senpai sighed. "At least… things should get better from here once he confesses."

"Oh, it wasn't that." Sumire blushed, not wanting to admit her thoughts out loud to the object of them.

"Kasumi?" Senpai guessed next. "The two of you were spectacular together."

"Haha, thanks…" Sumire agreed awkwardly. Going through the empty halls, they finally reached the reception one had to pass to reach the principal's office. "Umm… is Principal Kobayakawa in?"

"O-Oh…" The receptionist balked, her hands visibly shaking. "W-Well… He actually… got arrested."

_Got arrested!?_

The thought sent a lightning bolt through Sumire. With wide eyes, Kasumi's whispered words came back to her. _I'll be done on Saturday, so…._

Staggering back, Sumire didn't even remember to thank the woman. She just exited into the hallway where she fell against the wall. "Senpai… What happened?"

"I'm afraid… We've been outmanoeuvered."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post note:
> 
> I'll be the first to admit, that the 'boss fight' here is a little... anti-climatic. Sorry if that's disappointing, I just felt like it came together pretty nicely, even if the fight itself isn't exactly a masterclass.


	11. Sunday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> As you may have noticed, my writing has slowed down, and is unlikely to speed up again, especially with my life gradually getting busier.
> 
> On another note, we are now entering the next part of the story, which is always exciting. This chapter probably could have been better, but I hope you enjoy anyway.
> 
> -asdf

_Chapter 11: Sunday_

_Sunday May 29_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning_

"My, the make-up is doing good work." Akechi commented. Leaning down, he examined Kasumi's face closely. Sitting in the television studio, they had to be here early. The show started at eight. That meant they had been here since seven. Despite the early hour, Akechi had no problem getting up with plenty of time to arrive.

These were the days he lived for. When he got the spotlight that he deserved. He had struggled endlessly to perfect everything about his image. To be able to respond to comments in a humorous way. How to attract women and appeal to men at the same time. It all came to a head on these days. When he was given another chance to charm the country.

In response to his words, Kasumi blushed and averted her eyes. With her left cheek fully in view, Akechi traced the lines that were still there. It wasn't the swollen purple mess from the days after, but it was still clearly a blow from a fist. The discolouration and faded into red lines and jaundiced patches surrounding it. With the make-up used, the wound shone vividly on her face. Highlighted to demonstrate not only the principal's atrocities, but the girl's courage.

"Why are you still staring at me?" Kasumi demanded.

"Oh, just enjoying the view."

Kasumi's shoulders twitched, her eyes jumping back to meet his. "E-Enjoying the view!?"

"Yes." Akechi confirmed with a nod. Then his lips split into a teasing smile. "That wound allowed me to take a big step forward. Why wouldn't I enjoy it?"

"O-Oh, that's what you meant."

_She's so easy._

Smirking, Akechi stood back up and strode to his own chair. They still had fifteen minutes of so until the show would start. Lifting his styrofoam cup, Akechi blew on the black coffee and took a small sip. The bitter flavour was delightful. Far better than the sweets he sometimes ate to appease to a wider range of people.

"Any last questions?" Akechi asked the girl. They were the only two in the prep room. The hosts had their own place to get ready and any stage workers were elsewhere. It was quite literally, the calm before the storm. Lights and questions unending.

"Yeah, why are you an asshole?"

"Testy, testy. Drink more coffee before the interview. I don't want you swearing at the reporters."

"Fine."

Taking another small sip, Akechi watched her over the rim of the cup. Analyzing her actions as she followed his lead. Rather than his small sips, she took quite large gulps. The action causing Akechi to shudder imperceptibly at the thought of that much scalding liquid burning his throat.

"Any other questions?"

"Hmm… Did you take the principal's statement?"

"Yes." Akechi nodded remembering the time with satisfaction. For hours after his arrest, the principal had been despondent. Not saying a word in response to the questioning. Head bend low over the table, the shock of everything had paralyzed him.

Eventually though, a change had overcome the principal. Not in the form of pleading, or begging his innocence, but in tears. Silently they dripped down his face, each one falling to the table below. The image had etched itself into Akechi's mind, never to be forgotten. It had been like some sacred ritual: The repentance of man. For Akechi, it was a symbol of his first victory. A leg up on these phantom thieves that weren't even aware of his existence, yet. For five minutes, the crying continued unabated. The principal made no effort to wipe them up or hide them.

Akechi did nothing during this time except to watch, fascinated, from the other side of the table as the principal wept silently, his face contorted into an ugly grimace. Then, slowly, Kobayakawa began to talk. Hiding nothing he emphasized what he had done. How lax he'd been as a principal, letting Kamoshida run wild because he brought them popularity and fame. Then about how the man who had gotten him his position, the SIU director, had told Kobayakawa that if he didn't figure out who the phantom thieves were, he'd be…

It was the only time the principal hesitated. Akechi loved every second of it. Watching the principal attempt to accuse one of the most important men in the country of a crime by convincing a detective. It was a struggle not to burst out into laughter. Akechi already knew everything about the SIU director's connections. How his true allegiance was to Shido.

At last the principal ended by admitting his blackmail of Kasumi and her family as well as Makoto, the student council president to aid him in this task and help rebuild the school's reputation.

"Did he, uh… Seem repentant?" Kasumi asked quietly.

"Absolutely. He confessed everything." Speaking the truth, Akechi hid the reason why. It wasn't time yet to tell the girl anything else. Putting on a content smile, Akechi watched silently as Kasumi beamed back at him, relief and joy in her eyes.

No doubt she thought the whole thing was finished. Giving her an answering smile, Akechi wondered how much longer it would take before she'd realize. Her life would never return to the way it was before.

* * *

_Sunday May 29_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"We are on in five, four, three…"

Closing his mouth, the man behind the camera mouthed the final three numbers. Flashing them with his hand at the same time. As he reached zero, the co-host opened up the dialogue.

Sitting straight-backed, Kasumi tried not to feel intimidated. She'd done this twice before already. Yet, for some reason, it was actually harder this time. A large part of which, was probably due to Akechi being here as well. They sat side by side on the guest coach. Kasumi in her Shujin uniform yet again, and Akechi in his standard gray detective suit. His shoulder was close enough that all she would have to do was a lean a little and they would touch. She wasn't sure exactly why they were positioned this closely.

As these thoughts were running through her mind, Kasumi also had half an ear listening to the co-host reading off the teleprompter. The words described the background behind who the two guests were today and what they had achieved.

Hearing it back, Kasumi was impressed by how heroic they made her sound. It wasn't necessarily embellished, but without all the fear and uncertainty she had felt for the whole process, it sounded a lot better. Glancing at Akechi, she thought she detected a faint tightening of his lips. Right, he wanted the story to be mainly about him. No doubt this introduction focusing on her was quite disappointing.

"So, you must tell us Kasumi!" The main host broke in, practically before the explanation was finished. "Where did you get your sense of duty that compelled you to defy your principal!? You're the picture of a model citizen! I mean, wow!"

Taken aback by the enthusiastic question, Kasumi struggled to find an appropriate response. "Eh? W-Well… I… I just followed what Akechi told me to do. He is the one that deserves praise."

"Oh, true, true!" The host agreed readily, nodding quickly. His expression was ecstatic. He was clearly thrilled to be interviewing people whom he considered to be heroes of a sort. "Say, Akechi, can you walk us through your masterplan? How did you know that the _principal_ was the one behind everything going on at Shujin academy!?"

Akechi spread his hands in an easy manner. "It was elementary really. If a child is throwing rocks at a dog, you don't blame the kid, you blame their parent. This was just the same thing."

"Oh, so Kamoshida was the child in this case, the principal the negligent parent? I see…" The host nodded as if Akechi had said something truly wise. Kasumi wanted to roll her eyes at the artificial laugh Akechi was giving. By now, it was easy for Kasumi to differentiate between the synthetic personality and his actual demeanour. Even if she still wasn't able to figure out what he was thinking at all times.

"So," the host followed up. "What about these 'phantom thieves' that we heard about last time. Are they the one's that targeted Kamoshida?"

Feeling the host's eyes upon her, Kasumi winced slightly. "First off, I'd like to apologize for deceiving you all. It was necessary to make this work." The host's question had been a direct reference to Kasumi's first two appearances and her claim that the phantom thieves did nothing to change Kamoshida.

"No apology needed!" The host crowed, waving his hand. "Do these thieves exist? If so, why didn't they target the principal, the man behind Kamoshida?"

"If I may," Akechi spoke, taking the question for himself. Kasumi was tempted to throw in a snarky, 'no', but she doubted it would go over well. "This just goes to show that the 'Phantom Thieves', if they even exist, are juveniles. Most likely, they are students at the school who had a falling out with Kamoshida. That led to them targeting him. They didn't care about the underlying issues, they wanted revenge."

"…" Stunnded into silence, Kasumi could only stare at Akechi. His eyes had hardened as he talked with a passion. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized the host was the same way.

"Ah, sorry about that. I can get a bit impassioned when talking about justice."

"J-Justice?" The host asks.

"That's right." Akechi nodded firmly. "What I did was follow the law that our society has decided on using a democratic process for the betterment of everyone. According to those laws, I arrested the principal with the help of Ms. Yoshizawa. While I don't argue that Mr. Kamoshida was guilty and deserved to be punished under the law, I will not abide by having vigilantes running around thinking they are above the law. Especially vigilantes who are only concerned with revenge and lashing out at those around them."

"Ah, amazing! No wonder you are the detective prince! I'm almost moved to tears!"

_It wasn't that good._

Kasumi grumbled to herself. However, she was still impressed. She had an inkling prior, but it was interesting to know that Akechi's feelings on the phantom thieves were similar to hers. She had let Sumire talk her into putting Kobayakawa's name on their website, but nothing had come of that obviously. It was possible Akechi was correct about everything he said.

That brought with it another issue. He had claimed they were students at her school. Students that were angry at Kamoshida. Kasumi didn't want to make assumptions, especially on such a bold claim, with a group that most likely didn't exist, but it was hard not to see the similarities. Kasumi resolved herself to have another talk with Sumire, make sure that she didn't let herself get coerced into any groups she shouldn't be a part of.

"…Can you comment on that?"

"…Me? Oh, uh… w-what was the question again?" Wilting under their gazes, Kasumi couldn't believe she had zoned out quite so thoroughly. She decided to blame it on Akechi for taking almost all of the questions up to this point.

"Your, er, injury." The host emphasized again. "It's hard to believe that your own principal would hit you."

Kasumi winced as the scene of the raised fist descending upon her played itself through her mind yet again. She had a feeling it would be a long time before she stopped seeing it.

"W-Well…" Clamming up, Kasumi struggled to answer the principal's words. The easy confidence from the first two interviews simply wouldn't come. There she had deflected deflected deflected. That wouldn't work here.

"It's all right. Just take a breath."

Surprised by the touch of a hand on hers, Kasumi looked up into Akechi's smiling face. "Huh?" Strangely, focusing on it helped. That's right. They had discussed this a number of times before.

"It was an overstep on my part." Kasumi admitted, batting her eyes at the camera. "We needed to find out exactly how far the principal's crimes went. How much of the poison that was affecting the school was of his making. I wasn't careful enough in the conversation and well…" Raising a hand, Kasumi stroked a careful finger across the tender skin.

"Oh no! Don't blame yourself!" The host cried. "To think the man in a position of so much power would strike a young girl like you…"

"It's horrible, isn't it?" Akechi agreed, his voice sad. "A terrible abuse of power. It was an honour to be able to work with such a brave girl to be able to correct it."

"Oh, no!" Kasumi denied, embarrassed by the sudden outpouring of praise. "T-To be able to help a detective and aid my school at the same time is already more than enough!"

"Oh, don't be shy now!" The host laughed at her. "I think the two of you should take a bow! These two, ladies and gentlemen, are two of our very best!"

Prompted by Akechi, Kasumi joined him in standing. She was unable to bring herself to bow, however. Crossing her legs, she executed a small curtsy. The gesture paled in comparison to Akechi's elegant bow. Right hand in front of his heart, left folded behind him, his back perfectly straight. It made Kasumi glad she didn't try something similar.

As he rose, Kasumi was shocked by the embarrassed expression on his face. The slight tinge of red, how his eyes flitted off in different directions. _He's faking._ Upset that it took her more than a moment to figure out, Kasumi kept a watchful eye on Akechi, wondering what he was up to.

As he reclaimed his seat beside her, Kasumi no longer had to wonder as he jumped straight into it. "Really, this is too much. I'm just an average guy trying my best to bring justice to this world."

"Surely you can appreciate how far that sentiment separates you from everyone else!" The host parried. "If more people were like you, our country wouldn't be starting to decline… Er, not that…"

"It is nice to hear these things." Akechi smiled lightly. "It makes it worth the struggles of wondering whether we'd actually generate enough evidence to manage an arrest."

"And then the evidence found its way onto Kasumi's face! That must have been a shock!"

"Yes…" Akechi agreed, but his eyes tracked over to Kasumi's. A teasing mirth within them. "That was truly an unexpected development."

Placing a hand over her mouth, Kasumi hoped she looked demure. Not hiding the snorts that threatened to emerge. She may have freed herself from the principal's clutches, but as she sat on the interviewee coach, Kasumi began to realize, the farce was far from over.

* * *

_Sunday May 29_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"Urgh…" Groaning, Ren rubbed sleep from his eyes. The thin mattress and threadbare sheet rubbing uncomfortably on his body. Moving his arms to force himself out of bed sent an unpleasant feeling down the limbs. Every muscle ached with deep-seated exhaustion.

"One too many times into the metaverse it seems…"

Taking one last deep breath of encouragement, Ren lifted his upper body from the bed. The action taking numerous seconds as his face scrunched with concentration.

"W-What time is it?"

Turning to Morgana's mumbling form, Ren smirked. Rubbing the cat's head briefly, Ren left to search for his phone. A quick rotation completed his search of the dingy attic. Picking up his glasses first, Ren placed the lensless creation on his face before picking up his phone. Holding the power button, Ren waited a few impatient seconds for the emblem to light up. A few more and the home screen displayed, time and all.

"Just before 9:30."

"I see… Five more minutes…"

"Got it." Leaving the cat behind, Ren grabbed a shirt and threw it on before tromping down the stairs. Something told him Sojiro might just kick him out if he showed up shirtless while the café was open.

Descending the wooden stairs, Ren realized he hadn't put any shoes on. Oh well. Sojiro could put up with that. It's not like any customers would actually be here at this time.

Supressing one final yawn, Ren exited unto the base level. Ren would wonder what breakfast would be, except he already knew. Curry. Same as yesterday, and the day before. Oddly, Ren couldn't actually say that he was bored of it. In fact, it was kind of growing on him. Maybe Sojiro added an addictive component to help keep his customers.

As his thoughts wandered, Ren missed the singular person sitting at the bar in the café. Drawing out a stool, Ren sat two spots away from the person. "Morning Sojiro. Can I get a plate?"

"Urgh. I always knew you were hopeless…"

Tilting his head, Ren couldn't figure out why his guardian looked so confused. Was there something on his face? Pawing at it, Ren found nothing except his usual glasses and curly hair. It was a little unkempt, but it wasn't like there was anyone else here to…

Thoughts reaching this point, Ren froze. The images from when he walked down the stairs finally loading within his brain. The sight of a person sitting at the counter that hadn't registered properly the first time.

"Ah…" Emitting a small sound, Ren's head creaked to the right. To the stool at the end of the bar. Sitting there was a girl about his age. Her cheeks tinged red. Probably embarrassment from Ren's strange behaviour this morning.

"G-Good morning… I'm sorry for showing up unannounced."

"Oh, you are forgiven then." Ren answered instantly, his mind grabbing onto only a few of the words.

"Idiot!" The growled word from Sojiro somehow registering better despite being quieter. "Drink."

Taking the proffered cup from Sojiro, Ren forced the scalding liquid into his mouth. The sensation of burning taste buds combined with the scent of coffee helped stimulate his exhausted body.

Looking with fresh eyes at the girl, Ren's tongue curled up in his mouth. He couldn't believe he had just said that. Not just to a girl. But to Ms. Student body president herself. Nijima Makoto.

"Er… Sorry about that."

"N-No, please don't worry about it…"

"So… Why are you here?" Ren ventured to ask. He may be awake enough to hold a conversation, but not to figure out this girl's strange motives.

"Well…" Makoto's red eyes drifted off Ren to Sojiro. Even in his stupor, Ren understood the implications. She wanted to talk somewhere without another person listening in. Or at least not Sojiro.

"Do you want to get lunch in a couple of hours? There's a diner in Shibuya…"

The girl's cheeks reddened further. Just as Ren was sure she would leave without saying anything to her purpose, she nodded once sharply. "We will meet at noon. This is my phone number. Text me the address ahead of time. Please excuse me."

"That… was random."

"Huh, maybe you aren't as hopeless as I thought…" Sojiro commented, stroking his chin. "Drink up, you'll need to be at your best, so you don't screw this up."

"Uh, screw what up?"

"The date!" Sojiro groaned. "Oh, the stories I could tell from when I was young… Hoo boy!"

"Yeah… This isn't a date." Ren denied, shaking his head at his obtuse guardian. "We don't even know each other. I'm guessing she wants to talk about school."

"About school?" Sojiro scoffed. "Did you see her face? Ah, whatever. Who am I to say? Here, half a plate of curry. You need to still have an appetite for the date."

"But I don't want to have to pay for food there…" Ren whined knowing how the statement must sound.

"Urgh, fine. Here. For helping around the store. But expect me to make you do more to make up for it!"

"…Thanks." Taking the 2000 yen, Ren pocketed it swiftly before Sojiro could change his mind. It was an unexpected gesture. Maybe Morgana was right about the guy. He really wasn't as bad as he seemed at first.

* * *

_Sunday May 29_ _th_ _, 20XX Lunchtime_

"Wow… This place is… _really_ fancy." Sumire remarked as she glanced around the interior. As she did so, she tugged self-consciously on her clothes. It appeared to be a similar level as the Hilton buffet that the Principal had brought their family to. No, maybe even more extravegent. One difference was that this place had a menu rather than a buffet. Also, it was more enclosed, giving each of the dining occupants more privacy.

The floor was laid with authentic hardwood that sparkled a majestic deep red colour. Crystal chandeliers lined the restaurant's vaunted ceiling. Each one cast a bright white glow throughout the interior even without any windows to speak of. Going from the name hard to pronounce name, this place served French cuisine.

That was confirmed, moments later, when a man in a tight white suit handed them each a piece of laminated paper. With gloves the same colour, it was all Sumire could do to manage a weak smile.

"I'll be back shortly with water and bread. Please read today's course in the meantime."

"Thank you." Kasumi responded, glancing at the menu.

Staying silent for now, Sumire did the same. Eyes bugling, Sumire gaped at the singular sheet. To call this a menu was disingenuous. It was a proclamation of death. Above the complicated French words that she would struggle to pronounce, Sumire stared directly at the two lines at the top.

_Mid-day five course meal._

_10 000_ _a person._

10 000. The number was mind-numbingly large for the price of a meal. She had been expecting both Kasumi and her to eat for a fraction of that price. Hell, street ramen would probably run them a maximum of 1000 yen a bowl. A literal tenth.

Coming back to their table was the waiter. While he carried the bread on a silver platter, as well as exotic curved goblets and a pitcher of water, he hesitated before setting them down. "Will you ladies be staying with us for lunch?"

_No!_

Sumire responded instinctively. She didn't have this kind of money!

"Yes, we will be." Kasumi answered out loud. "We'll both take the set meal." Taking Sumire's menu from her stiff hand, Kasumi gave them to the waiter once he'd unloaded the dishes he'd brought.

"Very well. The soup shall be out shortly."

"Thank you."

As the waiter left, silence fell between the two of them. Sumire still didn't know what to make of this restaurant. She wasn't slovenly, but nowhere near the level of the other patrons that were present. Kasumi was in her school outfit. Something even more out of place.

"Oh, I hope this place lives up to what I've heard!" Kasumi spoke, flashing Sumire an excited smile. Her voice containing none of the hesitation that Sumire was feeling. "It certainly has the price tag behind it."

"A-About that…" Sumire finally found her voice. "I… I can't afford this."

"Oh, don't worry about that!" Kasumi laughed. "I got paid today!"

"Paid…?" Sumire spoke with disbelief. She struggled to comprehend the basic word. Why on earth would Kasumi have been paid?

"Yupp! Apparently Akechi had negotiated 'appearance fees' with the show we were on. Essentially, we went on that show because they were willing to pay more for us!"

"I… I see." Sumire replied haltingly. With Kasumi bringing it up, Sumire had nothing else to do but acknowledge what she had watched this morning. The truth behind everything. Except… there were lies mixed in. Sumire had detected more than one inconsistency, which had left her confused. She had been hoping to clarify this with Kasumi, but her sister looked so happy. For the first time in a long time, Kasumi had regained that easy smile. That twinkle in her eye that spoke to her fearlessness and strange ideas that she constantly generated.

"Soooo," Kasumi spoke drawing out the word. At the same time her lips twisted into a teasing smile that twisted Sumire's stomach with apprehension. "You heard everything about my life. What's been going on with you?"

"M-Me?" Sumire stuttered again. "N-Nothing really… Just, uh, training… I guess."

Kasumi frowned at Sumire's obvious lie. "What do you mean? Didn't you go on a date with Senpai?"

"O-Oh right!"

"…"

"Er…" Under Kasumi's expectant eyes, Sumire didn't know what to say. She was having trouble trying to remember the excitement that she had felt that day. How she had waited for Kasumi. All she could remember clearly was the horror she had felt when she realized the cognitive world had been telling her about real world events. The disappointment and sorrow of Kasumi not confiding in her. All of that had compounded yesterday when they returned from the metaverse to find the principal already arrested.

Blinking, Sumire was saved from answering by the soup arriving. The first of many plates that would be coming apparently. As such, the volume was tiny. For the first time, Sumire wondered if they would really get enough food here.

"…Well!?" Kasumi pressed once she took a singular sip.

"Er…" Despite the extra time, Sumire hadn't prepared an answer. She'd been too absorbed by the food. "It… It went well… I think."

"You think?" Concern touched Kasumi's expression. "Why are you so uncertain?"

"It isn't like I've been on a date before!" Sumire grumbled back. Catching the bemused look from Kasumi, Sumire blushed deeply.

"I'm sure you felt something." Kasumi continued to prod. "Like a connection, trusting him in a new way or something… You know?"

"Oh… Umm, kind of then…" Sumire blushed, realizing now how embarrassing it was to talk about. Especially when the conversation was completely one-sided. "I guess, there was a tension between us…"

"A tension?" Kasumi snickered. "You make it sound so awkward!"

"Argh! Stop teasing me!" Sumire pouted. Glaring at Kasumi over her pursed lips, "Besides, what about you!? You seem awfully close to that Akechi guy!"

"I-It's not like that!" Kasumi rejected instantly. A little too quick for Sumire. "Besides, he's a little too old."

"So, age is the only reason?" Sumire taunted, glad the conversation had shifted away from herself. "You never really answered last time… But what about Senpai?"

"What about him?" Kasumi shrugged, finishing off her soup and sliding the dish away. "It was just a brief connection. Either way, I'm focusing on gymnastics from now on. I don't have time for boys."

"Y-Yeah… Same…" Laughing drily, Sumire buried herself in the soup. The rich creamy taste was extremely good. Normally she would lose herself in it, but Kasumi's words had sent her stomach somersaulting.

_Training._

Her current workout schedule was far lighter than it had been previously. While the metaverse was good physical activity, it wasn't the same. Also, with her phantom thieves' work, Sumire saw no way to return her training back to where it had been. They had another palace they needed to conquer in the coming week.

"Your next course, Ladies."

"Thanks…" Breathing out the soft word, Sumire tried to lose herself in the plate. This entire day had been nothing like what she had thought it would be. With the principal gone, everything was supposed to be on the up-and-up, however Sumire was left as confused as before.

"Hmm? Why do you look so sad?"

"Sad? I'm not sad?" Sumire muttered.

"Yes, you are," Kasumi smiled. "I have seen that look on your face before. It's one I thought I'd never see again."

"Do I really… Look that bad?"

"I doubt anyone else would notice, but… kind of, yes."

"Oh…" Touching her face, Sumire wasn't sure what she was looking for. Some evidence to confirm Kasumi's words. But she didn't need physical evidence. She could feel it in her chest. "I… I tried so hard to help… But I wasn't needed…"

Hiccupping lightly, Sumire bit her lip, refusing to let any tears form. It was only her pride at stake here. Kasumi didn't do anything wrong; she knew that. Yet she still couldn't get over the fact that even after she found her strength, and fought with all her strength to help her… She hadn't been necessary. That suave detective was all Kasumi needed.

"…Thank you."

"Huh?" Lifting her head, Sumire was surprised by the sudden contact. Kasumi had reached across the table and gently placed one of her hands upon Sumire's clenched ones.

"I don't think you've told me everything you tried to do but… What you did do for me… It really helped. Honestly… I was pretty close to giving up a couple times."

"R-Really?" Sumire replied shocked. She knew Kasumi had been suffering, but she didn't think the phrase 'give up' was in her vocabulary.

"Knowing you were out there fighting for me was a huge help," Kasumi admitted. "So please, smile."

Sniffing, Sumire wiped her eyes. Hearing those words from Kasumi meant so much to her. She hadn't realized how confused she had been these past few days. How upset she was that she couldn't prove the phantom thieves' justice to her nonbelieving sister. Sumire hadn't managed the second yet but having been able to help Kasumi was its own reward. Flashing through her mind was the sword dance from yesterday. When she had fought side-by-side with the cognitive Kasumi against the principal. She hoped that that brief moment would become reality eventually.

"What are you smirking at?" Kasumi wondered, narrowing her eyes.

"O-Oh, nothing! Just umm… thinking about the future." Sumire's words appeared to hit a mark. Rather than smiling at the potential, Kasumi winced slightly. The barely perceptible gesture ripping apart the mask that she'd been wearing this whole meeting. "Kas…?"

"It's nothing."

"Don't say that!" Sumire snapped back, a note of anger in her voice. "The principal punched you and you lied to me! Don't… Don't lie to me again… Please."

Kasumi's face twisted with guilt. "You're right. I shouldn't have… I just didn't want you to do anything reckless."

"Reckless!? You are the one that got punched! That makes my meta… Never mind."

"Meta?" Kasumi toyed with the sound to Sumire's chagrin. "Er, I mean… I'm still planning on becoming a professional gymnast, don't doubt that. But… I owe Akechi a lot. After this whole debacle with Kobayakawa… I just don't see my life going back to the way it was before."

"Kas?"

She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite her words. "Maybe that's for the best. After all… I wasn't exactly the best sister before. I tried to help you, but never gave you what you needed."

"Kas…" Words tinged with sadness, Sumire wasn't sure how to bridge this gap between them. "Those were my problems. My jealousy…"

"Hmph!"

Jolting up, Sumire whipped her head to the side. The waiter was there, new plates in hand. His mouth a thin line of disappointment. About what, Sumire wasn't too sure.

"Your next dish, ladies."

"T-Thanks…"

"Yes, thank you…" Kasumi added with a small smile. "I guess we were being too loud."

"Too loud? That's what he was grumpy about? No need to be so stringy…" Sumire grumbled, slightly abashed to be making a scene in a top-end restaurant.

"Haha, I'm guessing this is the kind of place where people don't talk."

"Don't talk?"

"Yeah, you know. Everyone sits silently with straight backs and eats with perfect manners?"

"I-I guess…" Sumire chuckled weakly. To be honest, Kasumi's description sounded horrible. Eating was supposed to be a happy occasion of devouring all the calories and vitamins that you would be using throughout the day. Looking down at the newest platter, Sumire poked the steaming meat with her fork. There wasn't a lot of it. Picking up her knife, the meat fell apart.

"High quality stuff, isn't it?"

"Yeah… What is it?" Sumire poked the material, unsure what animal had produced such a substance.

"Uhh, lamb? I think?"

"Lamb, huh?" Sumire snorted only half believing her sister's answer. It would certainly be her first time eating it if she was correct. Taking a small bite, Sumire's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Arf!"

Emitting a strange noise, she scarfed down the rest with a ferocity. Her gaping stomach craving more and more of the tender substance. It dissolved in her mouth with a rich, tangy flavour. "It's… gone…"

"Ah… So good!" Kasumi muttered from the other side, her own plate empty as well.

Sharing a look, they laughed slightly, the distance forgotten for half a moment. All too soon though, the laughter died, and the awkward silence returned.

Clearing her throat with a fake cough, Kasumi's face settled into a determined expression. Taken aback by the change, Sumire waited for this pivotal moment in the conversation.

"What do you think the last few plates with be?"

"…EH!?"

"….?" Tilting her head, Kasumi wore a puzzled expression. "Is something wrong?"

"W-Well… Nothing… I guess." Sumire grumbled. The statement was just so Kasumi, Sumire couldn't really be surprised.

"HMPF!" With an even louder cough, the waiter returned. His face was livid, even though he spoke not a word in disrespect. "I trust the meal is proceeding well, ladies?"

"Ah ha ha…"

"Here is the second to last plate. Do you require more bread or water?"

"Yes please!" Kasumi responded happily.

"Then I shall be back shortly."

"…He's kind of grumpy," Sumire complained once he left them alone. The uptightness of the waiter somehow surpassing even the obnoxious adults that had filled the Hilton.

"It _is_ a first-class place," Kasumi snorted. "This may be the last time you get to experience this kind of luxury."

"Ha!" Sumire shot back, "when I win myself some gold medals, I'll have more sponsorship money than I know what to do with!"

"Really? I don't remember telling you I'd share."

"Bleh!" Sticking her tongue out at her sister, Sumire was glad for the banter. It still wasn't exactly the heart-to-heart she'd been expecting, but it was better than nothing. "S…Salad?"

Gaping at the plate, Sumire wasn't expecting such a plain looking dish to come in fourth. Poking the leafy bits with her fork, she shoveled some into her mouth. "Ooh!" She was pleasantly surprised by the marinade that was been applied. The light sheen of oil had transformed a typical forgettable part of the meal into something interesting. Of course, just as she was beginning to enjoy it, it ended. The salad only lasting three or four mouthfuls.

Lowering her utensils onto the plate, Sumire held an arm over her increasingly annoyed stomach. "Glmph!"

"Was that… your stomach?" Kasumi remarked. A small smile touching her lips. "You're as voracious as ever. Guess we'll have to go somewhere else after, huh?"

"Haha… Yeah." Sumire blushed. With only one more plate coming, she didn't see how it would fill her up. Unfortunately, there was unlikely to be anywhere nearby serving cheap, healthy food. The statement was almost an oxymoron. "The food here is really good. How did you decide on this place?"

"Oh, Akechi told me about it." Kasumi answered immediately. "We were talking about plans after the interview and I mentioned I was meeting you. He made the reservation for us."

"He's done a lot for you." Sumire commented casually, repeating Kasumi's words from earlier. Sipping her water, Sumire stared at Kasumi from over the rims of her glasses.

"Yes, he has…"

"But…?" Sumire pushed.

"He's a little… Scary."

"Scary? This coming from you?" Sumire wondered. While she knew now that Kasumi did in fact get frightened of things, it wasn't a word Sumire would apply to the demure brown-haired man she'd seen on the television.

"Yes… You watched the show, I take it?"

A nod.

"How he was there… Is quite a bit different from my interactions with him. In private he is more… intense."

"Intense?" Sumire wondered. She could agree that his talks about justice were passionate, but was that what Kasumi was talking about? "He didn't try anything… strange with you, did he?"

"S-Strange? W-Why would you ask that…"

Raising an eyebrow, Sumire gazed at her sister with hard eyes. Under it, Sumire watched slightly pleased as Kasumi wilted a little. The embarrassment from her obvious lie getting the better of her.

"I-I'm serious, there was just one moment where he touched me and…"

"T-Touched you!?" Sumire squeaked, standing up. Blushing, Sumire instantly noticed her mistake. The faint clinking of silverware and mild talking disappeared. She couldn't see any glares, but Sumire knew they were there. People wondering what sort of ruffian would dare disturb their expensive French lunch.

"Not like that!" Kasumi hissed, trying to tug Sumire back into her seat.

Reluctantly, Sumire obeyed the prodding. "S-So… How _did_ he touch you?"

"Urgh, don't say it like that." Grumping, Kasumi blushed slightly.

"Well!?" Sumire insisted. Remembering to keep her voice low.

"Well your last plate is here. I'll be back shortly with the check."

"Ah…" Sharing an embarrassed glance with Kasumi, Sumire slide the dessert closer to her. It looked like the piece of a cake. Except this one had numerous layers. White cream poking out from various positions as well as decadent looking icing on the flat top. "So, this is Mille feuille…"

"You know it?" Kasumi questioned. Her attention also locked unto her matching piece.

"Yes, it's a famous French dessert. It looks so good…"

"You are right about that…"

As words trailed off, Sumire took her first hesitant bite. The hundreds of bad calories unable to ruin Sumire's expectation and anticipation. "Mhmm!" Muttering, Sumire closed her eyes and pressed her free hand to her cheek. Her usual sweet-free diet exacerbated the rich taste of the cake. "Sooo good!"

"Ahh…"

With a twinkling clink, Sumire laid the dessert dessert on the now empty plate. Its surface covered with small crumbs and little bits of cream that Sumire was tempted to lick clean. However, the little bit of self control she still possessed held her back.

"I see you have finished. How will you be paying?"

"Already?" Sumire grumbled, casting an askance look at the irate waiter. She knew they weren't exactly the most reputable guests, but they hadn't done anything to deserve this kind of treatment.

"Casfh!" Kasumi mumbled through a piece of bread that she had stuffed in her mouth. Sumire watched awed as she swiped another two from the basket before withdrawing the money from her purse. Throwing a stack of bills on top of the check, Kasumi winked at the waiter before walking past him.

"Umm, thank you for your service!" Bowing slightly at the waiter, Sumire took one glance between the bread and the waiter. Then, with a quick motion, she took one and fled from the seething man.

Darting through the store, she quickly caught Kasumi. Grabbing the girl's arm, Sumire hissed in her ear. "Why were you so rude!?"

"I wasn't!" Kasumi answered, sniffing with self-righteousness. "He was! Besides, the bread was given to us, right?"

"You… aren't wrong." Sumire agreed, taking a bite from hers. Even this ordinary food tasted exotic and delicious. Kasumi was right, it was unlikely Sumire would taste food of this level for a long time.

Exiting the store, Sumire felt like she got dumped into another dimension. Shibuya was packed with various people. Tourists, students, shoppers, all utilizing the nice spring weather to enjoy their Sunday outside. Releasing a deep sigh, Sumire realized that Kasumi had managed to avoid answering her.

"So, what was that thing about him touching you!?"

"You're still on about that?" Kasumi groaned.

Sumire stared hard at Kasumi's side profile. Her brown-haired sister not answering immediately. Instead her left hand reached up and brushed her injured cheek. "It's hard to say. One second, he is the perfect detective, only worried about the case and fulfilling his clients needs. The next…"

"The next?" Sumire pushed.

"He's a live wire… His eyes and mannerisms glowing with emotions and feelings he never shows. I guess… He comes across… as a ruthless… sort of guy."

"Ruthless?" Muttering the word, Sumire shot her sister another quick look. It ran contrary to what she had seen on the show, but she didn't call Kasumi out on it. Sumire had never known her sister to be wrong about something like this before. Even if she hadn't been able to tell how deep Sumire's frustrations lay, Kasumi's intelligence allowed her to generate accurate analyses of other people.

"Yeah… I'm not saying he is a bad person… But Sumire. Do your best to stay away from him."

"S-Sure…" Based on his feelings on the phantom thieves, Sumire knew they get along very well, but Kasumi didn't know that. This wasn't jealousy to protect the boy she liked either. It was, plain and simple, worry for her well-being.

Standing beside Kasumi, Sumire watched in silence as life in Tokyo proceeded around them. The noise and activity seeming to occur within a different dimension. Suddenly, a flash of black brought it all crashing back.

"Is that… Senpai?"

"He's with a girl?" Kasumi continued, picking up the figures swiftly. "Wait… The student council president!?"

* * *

_Sunday May 29_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

"You're late," Makoto grumbled from the other side of the two-person table.

"Ha…" Laughing lightly, Ren ruffled his hair awkwardly. He had no real excuse except that Sojiro kept trying to teach him pick-up lines, telling him to get better clothes, et cetera. Ren had already changed into his best casual clothes. The dark blue jeans were almost brand new. He thought they fit well.

"So, well…"

"Welcome! What can I get for the two of you? And, don't worry, almost all of our items can be split. Perfect for dates."

"Oh no!" Makoto cried, raising her hands in denial. "T-This isn't a date. I mean, we aren't, we aren't like that!"

"We aren't?" Ren teased. "I could have sworn…"

"Stop it!" Makoto exploded, her entire face crimson.

Ren bit his lip. Not bursting out in laughter at her was a struggle. The waitress had a gentle smile on as well. Clearly not believing her claims either.

"I'm sure. Your order then?"

"Ugh, I don't know…"

"Hmm, we'll take a sandwich to split and a soup each."

"Got it!"

"Hey! Why did you order for me!?"

Ren shrugged, trying to come off as nonchalant. If he was being honest though, it was a struggle not to tease the girl. Especially after the anxiety she'd given him this past week by following him around.

_Maybe Sojiro was right!?_

Stricken by the thought, Ren blinked in confusion. Could it actually be? The reason she was following him… and then showing up at the café?

"I-I don't know what you are thinking but stop it!" Makoto ordered with a steely glare. "I… I wanted to apologize."

"Wait… The thing you didn't want to say in front of my guardian… _Was sorry!?"_

"Er… basically."

Groaning, Ren rubbed his eyes. He'd gotten dressed and dragged himself to Shibuya, changing the plans, which he definitely had, only to be told sorry. Made worse by the fact that the person had already been in Jongen-Jaya!

"D-Don't you want to know why I'm apologizing?"

"I imagine for stalking me." Ren spoke, rubbing his head.

"Y-You noticed that!? I thought I was flawless…"

Ren just gaped at the girl. For someone so smart… She was a bit of an airhead. Some of her mannerisms reminded him of Sumire. Particularly the lack of confidence that they seemed to share. Although Sumire's had been improving as of late.

"Umm… It was a valiant effort, I guess?" Ren tried to lie; he wasn't sure how it went. Makoto looked just as confused as ever. "Was there… Anything else, Ms. Student council president?"

"…Makoto."

"What?"

"Call me Makoto."

"…Ren." He answered, bemused by the interaction. He knew calling her by her first name wouldn't fly at school, but it should be fine here.

"And well… I wanted to tell you why."

"Why?"

"Why I was, er, stalking you." Makoto blushed again.

Waving a hand, Ren took a drink of the complimentary water that he had received upon being seated.

"The principal ordered me to find the phantom thieves."

Freezing mid-sip, Ren returned the glass to the table. Keeping a close eye on his hand, Ren ensured it wasn't shaking. "And how did that lead you to following me around?" He thought he did a good job keeping his voice innocuous.

Makoto didn't really react to his question besides nodding as if she expected it. "I… Well to be honest, your group is the most suspicious. I was hoping that by doing so, I could finally get some concrete evidence on if you were the phantom thieves or not."

"Sorry to disappoint you. We aren't going to get found out that easily." Ren took on a joking tone, hoping it would lighten the mood and convince Makoto of his innocence.

"Y-You are the phantom thieves!?" Makoto choked out, her eyes bulging in disbelief. "B-But… Oh, you're joking…"

"I mean, come on. You really think a group of high school students, manipulated someone's mental state?"

"Er… It is just that… I suppose you're right…" Makoto released a heavy sigh lowering her head to look at her water. "I don't know why… but I almost wished that you were the phantom thieves. There are so many criminals out there that the police can't arrest. So many people suffering… I just hoped…"

"That someone could give them confidence?"

"Yeah, something like that." Makoto answered with a gentle smile. "Although, that Yoshizawa Kasumi seems to be doing a decent job."

"…What do you mean?" Ren questioned intently. The last he'd heard about Kasumi was that the principal had actually punched her. This new revelation brought Ren to the edge of his seat.

"You're interested in her, aren't you?" Makoto narrowed her eyes at him. "Leave her alone. She has enough to worry about without someone like you pursuing her."

"Someone like me? You're the stalker here." Ren reminded her.

"I… Sorry. She's helped me out twice now… I guess I'm just a little protective."

"Or maybe jealous because I'm giving her more of my attention?"

"Absolutely not!"

Chuckling slightly, Ren took a casual sip of his water as Makoto glared at him. The girl was nothing like he had imagined her to be. Rather than being cold and calculated, she came off as naïve and unexperienced. Throwing herself face first into a problem with no subtlety.

Once he felt that the mood had calmed enough, Ren repeated his question. "So, what exactly is Kasumi doing to help people?"

"You were sleeping, but she gave an interview on TV."

"Another one, huh."

Makoto nodded in affirmative. "Yeah, about the arrest of our Principal. Wait, do you know about that?"

"Yes." Ren nodded. "I heard about it yesterday. Kasumi was involved in that?"

"Apparently. She worked with a detective to discover whether or not the principal was guilty as well with Kamoshida's crimes."

"I see…" Muttering softly, Ren did feel a quick spike of jealousy. Once again, someone else was swooping in to claim credit for the hard work that they had put in. They had almost died at numerous points. Now, after all was said and done, they had nothing to show for it.

_Madarame will be different._

Assuring himself, Ren tried to focus on Makoto as she continued to talk.

"Their interview together was quite good. It was inspiring to see one of students stand up to someone in a position of power. I think she will be quite the celebrity at school starting Tuesday."

"Hmm, I'm not so sure about that." Ren warned. "Jealousy is just as likely as a response as adoration. Also… why Tuesday?"

"Why Tuesday?" Makoto asked confused. "Well we have the park clean-up tomorrow, and honor students don't need to attend."

"Right!" Ren agreed. It had completely slipped his mind. However, hearing about it now put him in a far better mood. Only half a day of work would give them more time to prepare for Madarame's palace. If everything went well, they may even find the treasure route tomorrow.

"And to comment on the potential jealousy, I think it's unlikely."

"Why?"

"Because of how she has helped them. Honestly, most of the student body hopes the phantom thieves are real and supports them. Or did, before the interview. Primarily because they got rid of Kamoshida, a dissident element in the school. I think the reaction to Kasumi will be similar."

Taken aback by the well-structured argument, Ren was once again forced to reassess his opinion of the student council president. Her intelligence had shone through at that moment. She may not be much of a strategist, but Ren reminded himself not to underestimate her smarts. There was a reason that she had initially suspected him of being a phantom thief.

Looking back over her words, Ren noticed a strange phrase in the middle. "Why would the interview change the schools outlook on the phantom thieves?"

"You'll understand when you see it… But the detective that was with Kasumi… was well, less than complimentary of the thieves."

"Less than complimentary?"

"Called them children basically. Directionless dissidents looking to make a splash rather than improve people's lives."

"Bullshit." Ren snarled. His hand flexing briefly into a fist. With no one there to other a contrary opinion, Ren had no doubt that Makoto was correct. Opinion on the phantom thieves would crash out. Until they changed Madarame's heart, they would be forgotten.

"A fan of them?" Makoto questioned; her eyebrows raised.

Mentally berating himself for the show of passion, Ren debated his course of action. There was only one sensible option; Ren nodded. "Of course I am. Kamoshida hated me before I even attended the school. Made Mishima spread rumours of my record, threatened to expel me. Why wouldn't I cheer for someone that could stop a bully like that?"

"But how are you sure it was the phantom thieves?"

_Crap._

Thankfully, Ren's mind quickly spit out an answer that appeared to be foolproof. Still, he had once again underestimated the girl's intuition. "What else could it be? He was an unrepentant asshole that kneeled on stage and wept while apologizing. I was pretty close when it happened, there was nothing fake in it."

"…I agree." Makoto muttered. Her eyes spacing out as they stared at nothing. "It was why I could never bring myself to confront you about being a phantom thief. There is nothing I know of that could change a person that drastically. It was as if Kamoshida underwent years of therapy and counselling overnight."

"Precisely," Ren nodded. Breathing an internal sigh of relief that they seemed to have aligned in interests. Or at least a common belief in the phantom thieves.

"…Do you think they are just?"

"…What?"

"It was the point the detective made." Makoto informed him. "Their power aside… Do you think they are using it correctly? Are they actively trying to help? And even if they are, is their help needed? Is it just?"

"That's… a lot of questions." Ren chuckled lightly. Finishing the rest of his water, Ren struggled to find answers to the questions. Answers that weren't suspicious anyway. "I think humans are inherently good."

"What?"

"Therefore, if there is a group out there, with the power to help people repent their sins, I'll choose to believe in them. That probably sounds a little naïve but look at what they did. They made Kamoshida realize his mistakes, with that power, it would probably be easier to just kill him, wouldn't it?"

"What a… Unique point of view." Makoto murmured. "I wonder how you and that detective would get along. I get the feeling you would either respect your differences enough to form a strong bond or hate each other."

"Maybe…" Ren chuckled, scratching his head. "I doubt I'll ever meet the man." Leaving it there, silence descended, and food arrived. Since Sojiro had restricted his portion, Ren was hungry enough to immediately dig in. Taking his half of the sandwich, Ren dipped it in the soup and began eating. The mixture was good. For a moment, Ren allowed himself to be proud of his ingenuity to split the sandwich and get each of them soup.

"I can't believe you ordered for me…"

Choosing to ignore Makoto's grumblings, Ren didn't want to risk teasing her further. The student council president could be a valuable ally to have. Antagonizing her more would be stupid, even for him.

"It's good though…" Sitting up, Makoto coughed slightly. "As an apology… please let me pay for this all."

"…Are you sure?" Caught off guard by the offer, Ren didn't know what to do. Sojiro had told Ren at least a dozen times to make sure he paid. Especially since it was his invitation.

"Yes. I unfairly labelled you, and believed the rumours… I'm so sorry."

"Er… Really, it is okay." Ren tried to assure her. "Although… this is goodbye. At least I'm assuming you won't be following me around anymore?"

"Of course not!" Makoto insisted. "Although… I don't know if it will fix the damage Kamoshida did… But if you want, student council always needs more people."

"Are you serious…?"

"Of course! We never have enough people."

Scratching his hair, Ren was surprised by the offer. It was touching. This was a girl that at one point probably considered him as much of a villain as Kamoshida. The list of people that hadn't labeled him as one at school was exceedingly short. Opening his mouth to politely decline, Ren felt a faint tugging from his subconscious. More accurately, from where Igor's words frequently rose up from. Reminding him to forge bonds.

"I won't join, but… if you ever need help, please feel free to ask me whenever."

"Sounds good. See you later… Ren." Placing some bills down on the table, Makoto bowed slightly and exited the building.

Leaning against his backrest, Ren sighed. Closing his eyes, he felt the sensation once again. The confirmation that he had formed another new bond. A connection that would allow him to further foster his power and provide more aid for his allies in the metaverse. A surprise meeting had generated something.

Waiting a few moments longer, Ren stretched. Adding a bit more money to the pile as a tip, Ren exited the building as well. His mind still wondering what he should do in the evening.

* * *

_Sunday May 29_ _th_ _, 20XX Afternoon_

"Are we seriously waiting for them?" Kasumi asked exasperated. Staring at her sister, Kasumi realized Sumire was anxious. But still! "Stalking him won't change anything."

"I know that!" Sumire snapped back, her eyes not moving a fraction from the diner that Senpai and Makoto had entered almost fifteen minutes ago.

"Urgh," groaning, Kasumi did her best to contain her impatience. Instead, she tried to reason with her sister. "Look, if you trust him, then you can just ask him about it later and he will tell you. I don't think Senpai is the type of person who would cheat on you."

"But it wasn't an official date!" Sumire moaned. For the first time, her eyes left the diner and found their way to Kasumi's face. The red orbs were shaking with fear. "What if he didn't enjoy the date? What if he's decided that he likes the student council president better?"

"Uhh…" Taken aback by Sumire's fervent words, Kasumi struggled to respond. She had some good points but… "I really don't think the two of them are that close. I mean, I don't think they've talked before."

"They clearly are now!" Sumire snapped back, turning to the diner. "You can go home if you want, I'll watch on my own."

"Not happening." Kasumi denied her. "I want to be here when you are proven wrong so that I can gloat about it."

"Urgh."

"And, if you are right…" Kasumi teased with a smile. Poking Sumire's cheek gently, Kasumi dealt the death knell. "Then I need to be here to comfort you."

"Not helping!" Sumire vented.

"I know!" Kasumi answered in a singsong. Decided she had teased Sumire enough for at least another five minutes, she brought her phone out. She hadn't checked it since before the interview this morning. After that she had been preoccupied receiving her appearance fees and saying goodbye to Akechi.

Kasumi was shocked by the number of notifications that had come through. Email and texts from people she had almost forgotten. Each one praising her for her bravery and telling her how amazing she had been. The perfect citizen.

With trembling fingers, she opened each and every one. She didn't know how, but there were even a few emails from strangers and texts from classmates that she'd never given her number to.

Finally, at the top of the list was a new one from Akechi. _Hope you are enjoying your time with your sister. Also… Has your newfound fame arrived yet? Enjoy._ That was the only one that Kasumi answered. Typing out a quick reply, she added how overwhelmed she was feeling at the moment.

With that done, she pocketed her phone again. Now though, the sensation of its weight didn't vanish in a few seconds. It remained as a tangible presence. A black hole constantly drawing her back. She now had thoughts and feelings from dozens of people she barely knew stored in her pocket. She didn't know what to do with them. Could she ignore it? Would that be rude? Did she care?

As these questions circled her mind, she barely noticed Sumire perk up. Apparently her target had exited the café.

"Oh, she's alone! I'm going to talk to her."

"I'll… wait here." Kasumi's weak reply wasn't odd enough to draw Sumire's attention. Her red-haired sister carving a track in the sidewalk as she strode away. The flaming hair drawing almost everyone's attention as it sparkled exotically in the noon light.

Sighing, Kasumi tried to distract herself from the change that had just occurred. First had come the meal where Kasumi had spent the entire thing feeling guilty about how she had lied to Sumire and had been unable to properly apologize. Now, as comments rolled in about how great she was… Kasumi felt even worse. This was not the life she had envisioned for herself. Any popularity gained was supposed to be appreciation of her gymnastics skills.

"Kasumi?"

"Huh? Oh, Senpai!" Blanching, Kasumi stared up at the boy wordlessly. Her mind struggling to put together what Sumire had said. Going to talk to _her._ Signifying that Makoto had been alone when she left.

"Is… everything alright?"

"Definitely…"

Kasumi could practically hear the disbelief in Senpai's stare. His black eyes drawing her in. Making her want to confide how she had screwed up.

"In that case… What are you doing here? Not stalking me I hope."

"S-Stalking you? W-Why would you say something like that!?"

"…"

"Er, I mean… It's not my fault, I didn't want to, but Sumire…"

"Sumire's here?" Senpai shot back instantly, his body straightening a little.

Kasumi couldn't help but pout a little. Apparently, she wasn't good enough to talk to, and he wanted Sumire. After a moment, she felt guilty. Wondering whether she was becoming conceited due to the fame.

"Well… To be honest, we kind of saw you enter the diner with the student council president…"

"But that must have been twenty minutes ago."

"Er…" Eyes wandering, Kasumi didn't have an answer for the statement of fact. She didn't know how to word it so that Sumire didn't look like an overly clingy girlfriend. "We uh… just thought that… we would do some shopping and then say hi… I mean, we don't see you very often."

"…Right."

Tilting her head, Kasumi didn't understand his reaction. She had talked to him briefly on Thursday and wasn't aware of Sumire seeing him after that either. Deciding it wasn't worth prying into, Kasumi took a look over his shoulder, wondering if she still had time before Sumire returned. Not finding that distinctive red hair, Kasumi went for it.

"Senpai… Were you on a date with the student council president?"

"No." He answered flatly. Seeing no trace of a lie in his eyes, Kasumi took it for truth.

"And umm… did you consider the movie with Sumire… as a date?"

"N-Not like an official one…"

"I see…" Stroking her chin, Kasumi wasn't sure what to do with this information. How Senpai had looked askance by the question. He clearly didn't consider them an official couple either. For what it was worth though, he clearly felt something other than friendship for Sumire.

Taking this time to try and repay her sister for all the hard work she had put in; Kasumi tried her best to organize a coherent statement. Something persuasive that would influence him into asking her on a proper date this time.

"I hear you did an interview with a detective. What was that like?"

As she tried to speak, Kasumi's chance was ripped away from her. Thoughts jumbled by the surprise question; Kasumi fumbled her response. "It was almost as good as my sister."

"…"

"Ah, no! I mean it went well! Or at least I think it did. Please ignore that…" Lowering her head, Kasumi hid her blush. She didn't know why, but something about those black eyes made her struggle to talk. It was somehow even worse than Akechi.

"Huh?"

Feeling a soft sensation on her head, Kasumi's blushed deepened when she realized that she was being patted. Hands flexing, Kasumi stood awkwardly while the sensation lasted. A few moments later, the heat from his hand left.

"I'll catch you later."

"S-Sure…" Holding her hands to her head, Kasumi stood frozen as Senpai walked past her. Most likely heading to the station to catch a train back to his house.

"Kasumi!"

"Oh, Sumire? H-How did things go with the president?"

"…Alright. Did you see Senpai?"

"Y-Yes. He left already." Kasumi answered. Even as the conversation proceeded, she hadn't managed to lift her gaze from the ground.

"Did he say anything?"

"No… Only that he wasn't on a date."

"I see… I guess we should go home ourselves."

"Y-Yes, I guess so." Mechanically beginning to walk, Kasumi didn't look at Sumire. As such, she missed the suspicious gaze of a person that knew more than they let on. Mixed in was the pain of one who felt betrayed by the person closest to them.


	12. The Endless Cycle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say. I actually wrote this chapter fairly quickly, it was my other story that took awhile, delaying this one.
> 
> On that note, Chapter 13 may be awhile out as the next chapter for my other story is probably going to be quite long and take me longer to write.
> 
> Enjoy :)

Chapter 12: The Endless Cycle

_Monday May 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Early Morning_

"Heeeelllo? Is anyone alive in here?"

"Urgh…" Groaning, Sumire's eyelids flickered weakly. The sound penetrated her sleep but wasn't nearly enough to stir her sleeping mind.

"Earth to Suuumiiireee…"

"Hrngh…" Groaning, Sumire felt something land beside her. As well as something digging into her cheek. Probably Kasumi's finger. Only she could be this annoying. The thought brought some life back to Sumire's consciousness. "What are you doing? There's no school today…"

Even as she spoke, Sumire did feel a little guilty. Why was she sleeping in? She should be getting up and using the free day productively. Still, the blissful warmth of her bed made that argument as ephemeral as a spring snow.

"I guess… I just thought that we would help with the park clean-up anyway. If you are anything like me… Your school reputation is probably not the best, I thought this would help. Not that I may need it anymore…"

Sumire barely caught the final mumbled sentence. Still the words jolted the fogginess from her mind. Kasumi was right. It really wasn't proper for them to sit out, even if they didn't technically have to go since they were honour students.

"Also… You may get to work with your Senpai…"

"Urgh, fine, I'll come." Grunting, Sumire agreed with her sister. Definitely not because she may get to see Senpai. That couldn't be the reason. Though the phantom thieves were meeting afterwards anyway.

Raising a hand with a bit of vindictive revenge, Sumire shoved hard in the general direction of her sister's voice.

"Eep!" The surprised squeal was shortly followed by a groan of pain. "Oww! Remind me not to wake you up ever again!"

"That was for the teasing," Sumire explained, finally opening her eyes. The sight of her sister's head beside her bed was all that remained after she had been shoved off the side. _And for the lies._

Adding on the second part mentally, Sumire couldn't pull her eyes from her sister's brown hair. Even as she finished extracting herself from her blankets and moved to her closet. She couldn't extract that scene from her mind. Racing back from the conversation with Makoto only to see her sister talking to Senpai. Him reaching out to rub her head, her blushing cheeks.

Striping off her night clothes quickly, Sumire decided to ask her sister that was still rubbing her bottom. "So, I understand why _I_ should go to this. But why are you going?" Flitting through her closet, Sumire half searched for a clean uniform while waiting for her sister's answer.

"Well… I just thought it would be fun to go together! Help the community in the morning, then we can do some training in the afternoon. It's been a while since we've gone together."

Freezing in the process of selecting a uniform, Sumire panicked slightly. Her probing question had gotten turned around on her. "Er… I can't go with you this afternoon. I have plans after school."

"Huh?" Kasumi's head twitched to the side from where she was sitting on the floor. "Hey, I hope you aren't standing there naked because you're imagining me as Senpai!"

"W-What, no of course no-"

"Wait…" Kasumi interrupted, her eyes narrowing. "This isn't your 'plan' for this afternoon, is it?"

"This isn't my…" Kasumi's words had moved for fast for Sumire. For not the first time, Sumire felt herself being left behind by her more intelligent sister. The embarrassment from her first comment was just fading when it rushed back with a fervor. "N-NO!"

Practically screaming, Sumire waved her hands in front of her in a thin defense. "I-I would never. I mean, we aren't married yet. Not that you have to be, or that we will be, but uh…"

"Haa, you really are too cute." Kasumi laughed, giggling to herself. "Alright, get dressed quick. I'll warm up some leftovers we can have before heading to the school."

"The school?"

"We can't exactly pick up garbage in our normal uniforms, can we? We need to change into our gym attire!"

"Whatever you say…" Mumbling, Sumire shook her head at the closed door. Sometimes, dealing with Kasumi felt like fighting a storm. Whenever you felt confident that you understood what was happening, it hit you from a different direction.

"Ah, well… Even if she does take Senpai from me… As long as she's happy…" Balling up her fist, Sumire couldn't help but taste the sourness of the lie that coated her tongue. She had thought she had grown. She had thought she had changed enough to beat back these dark thoughts that kept creeping up on her like tendrils. "I am the light… That's what my outfit is all about. So why am I still so weak?"

Mumbling to herself, Sumire proceeded to get ready with machine-like movements. Trying to encourage herself that at least she'll get to see Senpai, Sumire left the room.

* * *

_Monday, May 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

"So… Where to now?"

"Hmm… Let us see…" Mumbling to herself, Kasumi surveyed the park with her hands on her hips. She could tell that something was eating at Sumire but wasn't sure what. She didn't think it was the naked event, they used to shower together all the time, Kasumi had been mostly kidding.

However, due to Sumire not initially planning on coming, and that man in Shibuya hadn't helped, they had arrived a bit late. The student council president had just finished her speech and the groups were breaking off to go to their sections. That left the two of them with nothing to do.

"Let's talk to Makoto, I'm sure she will come up with something for us." Kasumi decided quickly. She didn't want to waste too much time and be conspicuously late. That would only bring them bad press. Not showing up at all was far better than casually sauntering in late like your presence was a blessing.

"…Sure."

Once again, her sister's voice came out dampened. It made Kasumi want to turn around and scream at her. Shake her shoulders and snap some sense into the girl. The only thing holding her back was knowing that it wouldn't help. To be honest, she was hoping she could find Senpai here and get him to talk to Sumire. At least he was usually able to cheer her up.

Walking past a couple of groups of students, Kasumi felt their gazes track her but little to no chatter. She wasn't all too surprised since they appeared to have been divided by grades. Therefore, no one was really friends with anyone else in the group.

Soon, they arrived at a fold-up table that Makoto was managing, a few of the other student council members surrounding her. Stopping on the other side, Kasumi watched for awhile with interest while Makoto made markings on a sheet of paper. No, a map, Kasumi quickly rectified. It was a rough sketch of the outline of the park and the different areas that the groups were designed to cover.

"But won't these groups miss this section?"

"Nah, I'm sure at least one of them will think to check…"

The two on the either side were arguing about something. Perking up, Kasumi jumped in. "Hey! Sorry, we got a little delayed. Can we have a section to cover? Or a group to join?"

"Huh? Oh, Kasumi…"

Staring into the student council president's somewhat embarrassed looking face, Kasumi winked. She was a fan of their president. Standing up to Kobayakawa had taken guts.

"You have two students eager and ready to work, Ms. President!"

"Please don't call me that…" Makoto mumbled back, her eyes averting in embarrassment. A moment later, she seemed to have found something surprising behind Kasumi because she stared intently past Kasumi's shoulder.

"My group says they need more garbage bags…"

"Huh?" Flinching in surprise at the familiar masculine voice, Kasumi turned around and followed Makoto's gaze. "S-Senpai?"

"How can that be true?" Makoto asked suspiciously. Kasumi had figured the two of them were at least friendly after having eaten lunch together, but that seemed to not be the case. "I made sure each group had more than enough for their area, also you should have barely started collecting."

"…"

Senpai's awkward silence was more than enough for Kasumi to figure out what was going on. Following her hunch, Kasumi gazed past the boy to where a group of Shujin students were not-so-subtly peeking out from behind a tree.

"Must be rough, huh Senpai?" Kasumi muttered compassionately. The boy only winced slightly as way of answer.

"I see…" Makoto murmured. "In that case, give them these bags, then I want you and the Yoshizawa sisters to pick up these areas over here." She explained, gesturing at the map in front of her.

"Huh?" Blinking in surprise, Kasumi turned to look at Sumire, wondering how her sister felt about this development. While Kasumi had been hoping to give them a chance to talk, she didn't want her presence to interfere.

Kasumi had expected some sort of nervousness on Sumire's face or maybe happiness, but instead, she looked… focused? Kasumi couldn't understand the expression before she was forced to look away and face Makoto again.

"I'm assuming this arrangement is fine?" Makoto asked with a hint of a smile that said she already knew the answer to her question.

"Yes, Ms. President!" Kasumi confirmed with a smile, ignoring her previous words.

"Urgh, I told you to… never mind. Just go start cleaning."

"As you command," Senpai smirks, nodding his head slightly in acknowledgment. His eyes sparkled slightly behind his glasses. "Well, let us head out girls."

"You got it!"

"Okay…"

Flanking Senpai, Kasumi enjoyed watching his old group's faces change from confusion to shock to disbelief as he told them what had transpired. With Kasumi right behind him to verify the story, they could do nothing but take the excess bags and depart to their assigned positions. The third-year student who masterminded the plan casting them a sullen glare.

"Well, that was a pleasure to watch," Kasumi spoke happily. She hoped the other two would match her mood. If she had to pick up garbage at least she had a good group to do it with.

Senpai seemed to agree with her as she was wearing a slightly broader smirk when he turned to look at them. "While I appreciate getting the chance to do that, why are the two of you here?"

"Kasumi made me come…"

"Don't be like that Sumi!" Kasumi pouted in response to her sister's melancholy answer. "We wanted to help out!"

"The school that's done so much for you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hesitating, Kasumi realized she had never considered that. She realistically had every right to be a stuck-up bitch when dealing with any school event. At this point, there was practically nothing they could deny her.

"I guess… I just want a normal school life, you know? It got off to a rough start, I'll admit, but I have almost three whole years to go. Hopefully I'll be just another student at some point."

"Yeah, right…"

"What was that Sumire?" Senpai asked, apparently not catching the mumbled words that Kasumi did.

"Er, nothing. W-We should really get to collecting…"

"I suppose…" With that Senpai began heading toward the location. It was quite a trek, almost the other side of the lake. Probably why they didn't have enough teams to cover it.

Grabbing Sumire's arm as she tried to follow, Kasumi whispered in her ear. "What's wrong with you? The boy you like is right there and you're acting like you've never seen him before!"

The hissed words startled Sumire. Her face went through many different emotions before settling on a sullen pout. Kasumi saw it as a slight improvement, even if she still couldn't figure out what made her so depressed.

"Me? Why are you so excited to work with him if you've, 'moved on', or however you put it?"

"Are you seriously caught up on that still?" Kasumi growled, struggling to keep her voice low enough that the boy only a few metres ahead of them wouldn't be able to hear. "If he is what you want, of course I'll support you!"

"You say that, but then every time… Urgh, forget about it."

Left speechless, Kasumi could only watch as Sumire ripped her arm from her grasp and sped up. In an instant she was right behind Senpai, far too close for them to continue.

"What was she saying…?" Narrowing her eyes, Kasumi forced her mind to work. To figure out what was going on. Confident she'd figure it out in no time, Kasumi kept apart from them and watched.

* * *

_Monday May 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Using a grabbing arm, Ren carefully removed pieces of plastic from a tree. He didn't see how this could have happened, but there were numerous plastic wrappings of all descriptions coating its branches. The small twigs and knobs that grew from its numerous limbs grabbing tightly to anything that crossed its path.

Even as he proceeded with the task, Ren kept an eye on Sumire who appeared to be sticking next to him. While he didn't mind, in fact, if he was being honest, he enjoyed her presence, however, today she was acting strange. She said nothing and barely reacted to the few comments he had tossed out. He couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with why Kasumi took every excuse she could to distance herself from the two of them. All the while staring at her sister with an intense expression.

Having had enough of the ominous tension, Ren spoke. "Not the easiest work. Do you regret showing up yet?"

"No. It will make things easier after…"

Another barebones answer. With her here, the only person they were missing was Yusuke before infiltrating Madarame's museum. "Did I do something to offend you?" Speaking bluntly, Ren was at his wit's end. He barely recognized this girl in front of him. Had the Principal's arrest really shaken her that badly?

"N-No, of course not Senpai!" The girl retorted, still refusing to look at him. "I mean, I don't blame you for choos… uh, I mean…"

Latching unto the sentence the girl hadn't meant to speak, Ren wasn't ready to give this up yet. "Choose? Or choosing, perhaps? What did I choose?"

Sumire only buried her head further into the ground, her hair swirling around her to obstruct her face entirely. Still, Ren could imagine the way her eyes were shifting behind that veil of hair, never settling in one place.

"You can't mean..." Ren looked between Sumire and where her sister stood off to one side, still dutifully picking up any garbage she found, even while staring directly at the two of them. "When do you think I choose your sister?"

"…Yesterday."

"What?" The mumbled word was too low for Ren to make out. "I didn't catch th-"

"Yesterday!" Sumire said again, cutting him off, her voice gruff. "I saw the two of you. Makoto told me I should keep an eye out because you seemed interested in Kasumi, then I come back and find you petting her and playing with her hair!"

Sumire was practically panting at this point, her shoulders shaking. Despite that, she never lifted her head to stare at Ren. Just as he was wondering what to say, she continued.

"Then… You left. Kasumi told you I'd be back… And you just left. Without even talking to me…"

_This is what's bothering her?_

Ren understood that it looked bad the way she described it. But Sumire's a reasonable girl. By this point they should have been close enough for her to just ask him about it. "I didn't stay to talk to you for two reasons. I knew I would see you today and I wasn't sure how suspicious it would be to wait around for you. Besides, I know how much you wanted to patch things up with your sister."

"Urgh…"

Ren didn't know how to interpret that noise. "Is that really all that this is about?"

"Yes… I mean, no…" Sumire's voice was weak and confused. "I just… I still feel so helpless. Even after doing so much with you all, and making it so far… I still have all of these same thoughts. These same doubts…"

"Sumire, I…"

Ren cut off his words as the sound of walking approached them. "Ah, Miss Yoshizawa and Amamiya. Still hard at work I see! Well, you will be pleased to know that your lunch will be scrumptious! The chef can guarantee it! Before that though… Could I have a word, Sumire?"

Dr. Maruki? Looking over in surprise, Ren was shocked to see him here. The trip from the cooking space on the other side of the lake wasn't short. The doctor was wearing his standard white lab coat, glasses and not quite combed hair. On the surface, he appeared to be the same, but something seemed different to Ren.

He clearly wanted something quite badly with Sumire to come all the way here while he was supposed to be supervising the cooking of lunch. What it was, Ren had no idea as the two moved away from him.

A short while later, Ren felt a presence beside him. "It looked like you were struggling to get through as well."

Flicking his eyes over briefly, Ren confirmed the presence beside him to be Kasumi. After that, he stared at the doctor and her sister. "Yes. She saw us talking yesterday."

"That's the conclusion I came to as well," Kasumi replied, her voice hard. "But I just don't understand! I thought she was over all of that! She was fighting so hard and shining so bright and now…"

"Now she's struggling to see past the darkness," Ren agreed with a sigh, rubbing his head. "Maybe Maruki can help her. He is a councillor after all."

Kasumi's snort caught him off guard. "You honestly think Mr. Pretty Boy will be of any help? She already knows that she needs to help herself."

"I don't know." Admitting his weakness, Ren turned back to collecting garbage. It would look bad to be the only group that didn't finish their assigned section. More importantly, Ren honestly had no clue. He wasn't a psychiatrist. He wasn't a life coach. He was a regular high schooler that got dealt a bad hand. Now, he was trying to make the most of the chance he had given.

Without a word, Kasumi fell in beside him, the two working quietly as they waited for Sumire to return.

_Monday May 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Lunch_

"Does this mean the day is done?" Kasumi asked gruffly. Still cupping the bowl in her hands, Kasumi sipped at it regularly. It was good, if not quite filling enough to be a proper meal.

The subject of her question glanced up from the table. "Oh, yeah, I should announce that. Thank you for your help today."

Watching the student council president leave to do just that, Kasumi sighed. After having gotten lunch, she didn't see where Senpai or Sumire went off to. Hopefully, they were talking to each other, resolving things. This day had put an unexpected damper upon Kasumi's mood. She had been hoping to be able to have fun with her sister. Maybe train a bit afterwards.

Instead, all she had learned was exactly how far Sumire was from making a full recovery.

_It's only been two months._

Trying to remind herself of that, Kasumi drained the rest of her soup. It looked like she would be off to training by herself. After all, Sumire had 'things' to do.

"You look upset. Ren didn't hit on you, did he?"

"R-Ren?" Speaking the name, it was almost foreign on Kasumi's lips. She knew it was his proper name, but at the same time, she always referred to him as Senpai, even when thinking about him. "N-No, nothing of the sort."

"That's good," Makoto sighed wearily. With that, she began folding up the notes on the table, stacking sheets of paper back into a binder. Everything was highly organized and laid out well. It spoke to a master of studying. Someone able to absorb information, break it down into its primary pieces and memorize it all.

"Where are your helpers?" Kasumi couldn't see the other student council members who had been here when she arrived.

"They took the order to go home to mean them as well." The president answered wearily. "Unfortunately, that means I'll be spending the afternoon cleaning it all up. Cleaning a clean up rally, isn't that funny?"

"You aren't laughing." Kasumi remarked drily. "Why don't I help?"

"Are you sure?" Makoto queried. "You weren't even supposed to be here. You really don't have to."

"Honestly, I'd be glad to." Kasumi explained with a smile. "Are they usually this flaky?"

"Yes," Makoto grumbled with a nod. "It can be a struggle to get reliable help."

"Well, if you ever need more help…" Nonchalantly leaving her words there, Kasumi threw a plastic bowl into an overflowing garbage bag. Taking it from the bin, she tied it off. "Do you have a backpack or something you brought this all in?"

"Not really. We packed it into Maruki's car on Saturday. That's what we were doing when…" Trailing off, the president took a moment to compose herself. "When the principal got arrested. We never discussed how to get it back to the school."

"I see…" Muttering, Kasumi considered it for a moment. "Has Maruki left yet?"

"Seeing as his fan club has, I'm assuming so."

Kasumi couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's dry tone. Like she had thought, the two of them were pretty similar after all. "He does seem a little out of it for a doctor."

"Yes, I agree." Makoto frowned. "Thankfully, his claim of being able to cook was at least accurate."

Starting to speak, a more important question came to Kasumi's mind. "Why were you worried that Senpai… I-I mean Mr. Amamiya would hit on me?"

"Huh? Well, I had a conversation with him yesterday." The president cut off, waving her hands in front of her. "I-It isn't what you think, it was just an apology for some er, _actions_ I had done."

_Actions!? That sounds even more suspicious!_

Unaware of Kasumi's thoughts, Makoto continued talking. "He seemed interested in you when I mentioned your interview is all. It really was quite moving…"

Still uncomfortable about the interview, Kasumi focused on the surprising words. "He was… interested in me? Like… Romantically?"

"Er… W-Well… I have no idea."

"…What?"

"I-I don't know anything about romance!" Makoto admitted, her face bright red. Kasumi was shocked by this break down. She looked more unsure than most junior high girls.

"Haha… Well, anyway, to move this back to the school…" Continuing to explain her thoughts, Kasumi's mind was still focused on one thing. _Was this romantically stunted third-year correct?_

* * *

_Monday May 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

"Ahh… good work today everyone." Releasing a sigh, Ren left his Joker self behind in the other world. Stretching his neck, Ren was extremely satisfied with the progress they made today.

It had been rough going for a while, but eventually they reached a strange different world with different versions of the painting Sayuri. With Yusuke identifying the real one, they breezed through it in no time. Upon finding Madarame guarding his treasure, they took a break for the day. One more time in to establish how to steal the treasure, then a day for the actual heist.

Convinced they would have more than enough time to change Madarame's heart before the exhibition ended, Ren set off for home. His Shujin bag slung over his shoulder and Morgana already inside.

"Umm, Senpai."

Sumire's hesitant voice bid Ren to turn around. "What's up?"

"Umm…"

Catching the meaning of her eye flicks, Ren jerked his shoulder, jostling his bag. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"Yeah, whatever." Morgana grunted, not pleased about being kicked out.

"Oh, you didn't have to do that…"

"Your voice says a different story." Ren teased. As the words finished, the tension was still there. Ren remembered how their previous conversation had been awkwardly cut off by Dr. Maruki. After that, they had worked in silence until lunch, Ren unable to bridge the gap to start another conversation.

"I was, am… having a bad day. I know it wasn't your fault, so I wanted to apologize."

"Is there anything I can do to make it better? After all, we are teammates now. We watch each others' backs."

"Teammates, huh?" Sumire's voice didn't sound overly thrilled.

"T-That's right… So, do you need anything?"

"Umm…"

Ren struggled to see Sumire through the setting sun's rays. Staring right into it, her face was cloaked in shadow. Making up for that, her hair looked resplendent, bathed in a corona of red light.

"I… I wanted to know if teammates are all that we'll ever… What I'm trying to ask you is…"

"Whoa! Hard day in there, eh leader?" Ryuji declared, slapping Ren heartily on the back.

"…"

Closing his eyes, Ren struggled not to sigh. The tension in the air had vanished. Chances were he'd never get to hear Kasumi's words anymore.

"Haha, umm… I should probably go. I've slacked off on training, so I'll run home… Bye Senpai."

"Later…" Watching her walk away, Sumire turned around once to look at him. As she turned back to the front she entered into a jog. Ren didn't know exactly where she lived, but he guessed that she wasn't actually running all the way. Just far enough to dispel the awkward atmosphere between them.

Creeping out from where he had gone to hide, Morgana sighed. "You're an idiot Ryuji."

"What was that cat!?"

"Read the mood idiot!" Morgana fired back, jumping dextrously into Ren's bag from the floor. "This is why I never have a chance to talk to lady Ann…"

"Whatever dude," Ryuji sulked. "So, what was up with Violet?"

"That's what she was trying to tell me…" Ren spoke slowly, trying to contain his exasperation. Ryuji was a good guy, but sometimes…

"Ah, shit. My bad. She was definitely fighting slower today. Staying at the back and casting magic with her persona the whole time. Anyway, I'm heading home. I'll leave her to you, leader!"

"See ya," Ren smirked, waving a farewell hand at Ryuji. Ann and Yusuke had already left for their own homes. With how far Madarame's palace was from Yongen, Ren doubted he'd have time to do anything else today. Maybe read a book on the trip home and some homework when he got there.

"So, Ren," Morgana his voice serious.

"Yeah?" Tapping his card, Ren entered onto the train platform. Morgana stayed quiet for awhile as a crowd of late-night workers exited the station.

"While you were off picking up garbage, I did some investigating."

"Is that right?" Ren replied, only listening with one ear. Most of his attention was still remembering Sumire. The words she had been struggling to say.

"The Boss' house is quite big. I'd guess three bedrooms."

"Hmm…" Morgana's claim did send a spike of annoyance through Ren. He was stuck in the attic of a café while his 'guardian' had a large empty house to himself.

"I found the Boss' room. Pretty much what you would expect, but… there was another…"

"Another?" Paying a bit more attention at this point, Ren assumed his seat on the almost empty train. Focusing on Morgana's words, Ren ignored a sidelong glance from a passerby.

"Yeah, this room was shuttered with dark curtains. Getting closer though, I could have sworn there were lights on inside."

"So… Someone else lives in the house?" Ren wondered. "It would explain a lot…"

"Like what?" Morgana questioned.

Left with explaining to do, Ren took a self-conscious glance around the interior. He didn't care much about how strangers viewed him, but at the same time, talking to himself would be a new low.

"Every now and then, Sojiro takes a strange phone call. At first, I thought it was a lady friend, but what if it was this person?"

"Who is this person though?" Morgana wondered. "I know this started out as a curiosity… But what if the Boss is keeping someone captive!?"

"It… It isn't impossible," Ren muttered. "But why take me in then? Plus, if that person was the one calling him, then they can't be in there against their will."

Leaning his head against the window, Ren turned his attention fully to this new issue that Morgana had discovered. He didn't doubt the cat's words. Morgana's surveying skills were top-notch. Still though, they had too many inferences right now and not enough facts.

"Should we just leave this alone?" Ren wondered. "Is there a point to investigating this?"

"Of course!" Morgana answered shocked. Poking his head out of the Shujin bag, Morgana glared at Ren. "Aren't we trying to reform society? Bring shitty adults to justice? How can you ignore something extremely fishy right in front of you?"

"…Fine." Muttering the word, Ren whipped out phone. Opening the app, Ren spoke two more words. "Sakura Sojiro."

' _No Match found.'_

The app reliably replied. Ren wanted to believe that anyone guilty of kidnapping a person and keeping them locked in a room would at least have a palace. As long as it wasn't a criminal matter, Ren was hesitant to get involved.

"Still!" Morgana insisted, "aren't you curious?"

Ren was.

This strange man that had taken him in and abandoned him in an attic. While he seemed to have a soft spot for cats, Ren had gotten little more than harsh lectures, until yesterday. Sunday with his impromptu 'date' with Makoto had led to Sojiro opening up for the first time.

"How about this," Ren proposed as a compromise, "I subtly ask him if he wants to watch a movie together at his place? Then we can decide based off his response."

"You're going to ask him to watch a movie together?" Morgana asked sceptically. "Won't he be suspicious? Also, does he even have a television in his house?"

"Good point…" Ren murmured. The fact was, it had been so long at this point, that it was hard to come up with a reason why he should enter the house. Was there any way to stage a visit and not be suspicious?

"I got it!" Morgana sat up at attention. "You ran out of change to use for the bathhouse. Therefore, you want to shower at his place."

"…Not bad," Ren muttered. "It's innocuous enough that he has no reason to say no. Plus, if you come with, you can investigate the inside this way."

"So, are we on?"

Debating for a moment, Ren felt the thrill of the metaverse starting to rise within him. "We're on."

* * *

_Monday, May 30_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

_Ding dong!_

The sharp sound of the doorbell rang through the building. Even standing outside the door, Ren could hear it. For some reason, it seemed almost haunted. As if the house was abandoned, only a front Sojiro pretended to use.

"…No one is answering." Ren muttered to Morgana who was curled around his feet.

"Be patient, the café is closed, he has to be here."

Shifting his feet, Ren struck the doorbell again. Surrounded only by the light of lampposts, the night had an eerie quantity to it.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." A gruff voice called out. A moment later, the front door was thrown back to reveal Ren's guardian, Sojiro.

Staring at each other, Ren tried to seize the initiative. However, Sojiro cut him off.

"What do you want?"

"Uhh, well…"

"The change!" Morgana hissed.

"Change."

"Change? Change what? This better not be a joke of some sort."

"Er," having been thrown off by Morgana and Sojiro's own over-the-top anger, Ren struggled to come up with a coherent statement. "I need change."

"Money?" Sojiro scoffed at him. "How much you think I make at that Café. You want money, get a job."

With that the door began to close, removing any chance of Ren finding out anything. "Wait!" Yelling, Ren stuck his foot in the way, effectively halting it. Facing down Sojiro's glare, Ren spoke quickly. "I ran out of change to use the showers in the bathhouse. Can I use yours?"

"Urgh…" Sojiro stopped pulling on the door, however, he didn't let it open either. His gaze awkwardly drifted off to the side. It was clear to Ren that Sojiro was struggling to find an answer. "Well… I don't let guys use my shower. So… No."

Mind whirling quickly, Ren spat out the first argument that came to mind. "B-But, if I don't get a shower, all of your effort to make my date a success will have been wasted!"

"Urgh!" This time, Ren's words seem to have dealt a physical blow to Sojiro. The man's eyes glazed over, and his mouth started moving. Mumbling words to himself that Ren wasn't privy to. "It… Should be fine. Stay here, I'll be back in a minute."

"What do you…?" Ren didn't get a chance to voice his confusion as Sojiro finished closing the door. "…What the hell was that?"

"Whatever it was, it seems to have worked," Morgana mumbled. "Take your time, I should only need a couple of minutes."

"You got it…" Left with nothing to do but wait, Ren shifted his weight back and forth. Having been told it was fine, then having the door shut was… weird. It made Ren even more suspicious that he was hiding something. In fact, it was almost impossible not to come to that conclusion!

As the thought was crossing his mind, the door was ripped open. "Close it behind you, leave your shoes at the entrance and follow me."

"…Sure. E-Excuse the interruption…" Barely remembering his manners, Ren followed closely behind Sojiro. Morgana had disappeared from his legs, so Ren assumed he had already left to examine the house.

To be brutally honest, the house didn't feel lived in. The interior was dark and dusty. Sojiro was too busy at the café to clean, and it seemed like no one else did either. Rather than creepy though, the house felt sad.

"Here. You have ten minutes."

"Uhh, sure. Thanks…" Feeling a little bit bolder, Ren decided to press his guardian. "You know… it would save me a lot of money if I could shower here all the time…"

Sojiro's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Yeah, no. This is the first and only time I'm allowing it. Keep pushing your luck and I'm dropping you on the street!"

Keeping a straight face, Ren struggled to contain the swirl of emotions. He wanted to yell at the man that he wasn't guilty. It wasn't fair that everyone treated him like a criminal. Clenching his bag a little tighter, Ren closed the bathroom door behind himself. Thankfully, the washing apparatus appeared to have decent upkeep. He wasn't sure if he could have managed otherwise.

Stripping his clothes, Ren got to work on washing his body. It may be just an excuse to get in here, but he still wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to have a proper shower. Getting lost in the warmth of the hot water, Ren could practically feel the stress begin to flow away. Once Madarame's heart was changed, he really did need a break. Nothing more stressful than homework. Thankfully, for whatever reason, school seemed to going well these days. His marks were decidedly above average. He wouldn't be kicked out because of that.

Soon, a sharp rap on the door woke him from his reverie. "Time's up. Dry yourself and hit the road."

"You got it…" mumbling into the water, Ren reached for the tap and shut it off. Shaking his head like a wet dog, Ren grabbed the towel that he had brought with him. Thankfully, since Sojiro probably would have taken offense to Ren using one of his two.

_Two?_

Moving to the sink and vanity cabinet, Ren opened it and found what he was looking for. Toothbrushes. Two of them. Not just that, one of the things was coloured a bright pink. Ren was sure now, this is what Sojiro was hiding. Morgana was right, someone else was living here.

"Come on, get dressed and get out!"

"Sure, right away." Struggling to contain the laughter in his voice, Ren quickly dried himself and got dressed. It almost seemed obvious now, all of Sojiro's gruff remarks, and how he kept him out of the house.

Opening the door, Sojiro's irate face was there to meet him. "I said ten minutes! Now, get!"

"Thank you for letting me use your facilities." Bowing politely, Ren turned to leave.

"Err, yeah, sure."

Smirking at Sojiro's confused words, Ren found Morgana with his shoes. The cat cockily licking his paws with the aura of a mission accomplished. Staying silent, Ren opened the front door and exited into the night.

"So there really is someone else living there." Ren muttered once they got far enough away.

"You bet." Morgana agreed. "I found them quickly enough."

"Oh, what are they like? A woman I'm guessing."

"W-Well… It's hard to say."

"Hard to say?" Ren replied confused. He then continued with how he knew, based on the extra towel and toothbrush.

"I never actually saw them," Morgana explained. "I found the door is all, in the dark it was a struggle to read, but the whole thing was covered in 'stay out' warnings and the like. Also, I'm guessing it was why Sojiro needed that minute, there was a rag jammed at the bottom to stop the light from pouring out."

"I see…"

"Anyway, figured I may as well try to get in, see the person and all that."

"…And?" Ren pressed as Morgana paused in his talking.

It took a moment more before Morgana spoke. His voice was as serious as Ren had ever heard.

"The door was locked."

"…What?"

"The door was locked from the inside. There isn't a way to override it from the outside. You literally can't get in unless they let you in or you break it down."

I… I see." Ren commented heavily. Reaching the café door, Ren unlocked it briefly to let himself in before locking it again. "What's clear is that Sojiro isn't abusing this person at least. But it still doesn't tell us anything about them."

"I could hear them laughing a little." Morgana admitted. "My guess is that they are a young girl. "Probably a little younger than you."

"A daughter?" Ren mused. However, there was no answer in sight. The only thing that was clear was that this problem would not be solving itself tonight.

* * *

_Tuesday May 31_ _st_ _, 20XX Lunchtime_

"Thank you for making time to see me. Please, have a treat."

"N-No problem." Accepting Dr. Maruki's offer, Sumire hesitantly picked up one of the individually wrapped candies from the bowl. Even as she fiddled with it, she didn't eat it. Her exercise had been far too lax to justify having a sweet. Even if she had ended up doing an impromptu 10K yesterday. Sumire didn't know the exact distance, only that she shouldn't have actually ran home. The creeping terror and worry had propelled her feet.

She wasn't upset with Ryuji-Senpai. In fact, part of her was glad. Glad she wouldn't have to know the answer right now. Pretend that things may still work out. Pretend that she wanted things to work out between Senpai and her.

So, accepting the proposal Dr. Maruki had made of her yesterday, Sumire found herself in his office over lunch. She hadn't eaten yet, but she didn't have an appetite for some reason. She felt better than yesterday. That had been rough. Now, the things that seemed daunting were almost silly. Yet, the tight ball that had formed in her stomach had yet to fully dissipate. A fear occupied her thoughts that those feelings would return.

"Well," Dr. Maruki began relaxing in his chair. "Is there anything you would like to say first?"

"Err," the overly direct questioning was too much for Sumire. Averting her eyes, she stayed silent.

"Hmm, in that case, why don't I tell you something fascinating about cognition!"

"Cog…nition?"

Nodding in confirmation, Dr. Maruki held up his two hands. "Let's say, that I have two boxes of donuts in my hands. The one on the right, contains only one donut."

"Whose right? Mine or yours?" Sumire interrupted. She couldn't help but wonder if Kasumi and the thieves were rubbing off on her. This is exactly something one of them would do.

"Uh, well… It isn't really important, but mine I guess."

"Alright."

"G-Getting back on track. The box on my right has only one donut in it. The box on my left, a dozen. All the donuts are the exact same. Which do you think would taste better?"

"Neither. Donuts are too sweet for me."

"T-That's not really the point," Maruki laughed awkwardly. "Imagine instead of donuts they were something you do like."

"Umm, so like tofu? I imagine both boxes of similar tofu would taste the same." Sumire stated matter-of-factly. She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Dr. Maruki had made it seem important yesterday that she show up. But what was this?

"…I-I suppose. It works better with a dessert example." Maruki was clearly flustered at this point. "Anyway, it was been shown that things in limited quantities are more desirable and create the sensation that they are better. This is why limited-edition merchandise sells so well. Even if it is more expensive, people still think they are getting the better end of the deal."

"So… Creating the illusion of scarcity… Is a good marketing trick?"

"Yes! I mean, no, that's not the point. It's about how people perceive things! For example, what if we had those boxes of donuts, and you gave them to someone you like."

_Senpai. Maybe I should buy him a donut…_

"First they try one from the left box and say it's pretty good. Prompting, you then get them to eat the only donut from the right box. What if, that's the best donut they ever had? They don't know that both donuts were identical."

"…?" Staying silent, Sumire wasn't sure what Dr. Maruki wanted from her. Fiddling with the wrapper again, she was starting to miss lunch.

"They have had an exceptional experience, that's all an illusion to you, but real to them. What if you tell them that both were the same? They probably wouldn't want to believe you. They wouldn't want to admit that they'd been tricked."

"But what they tasted was real?" Sumire argued back, not understanding where Maruki was going with this. "If they liked the donut, they liked the donut."

"That's the thing! Their perception of the taste being superior is only an illusion. Yet at the same time, it is as real as they perceive it to be."

"So it's a placebo. Is there a point to this?"

"Haha, getting there." Maruki smiled back. Suddenly though, his aura changed. Threading his fingers together, Maruki leaned forward in his chair, resting his chin upon his laced hands. "Now, as a councillor, the problem with helping people, is that I can't see their injury. I can only work with what they tell me."

_Someone like me…_

"But what if this principle could be applied to help them? It would then become possible to reach a far greater number of people."

"Err… I don't follow." Feeling as if she was someone letting the doctor down, Sumire had to avert her eyes from his intense stare.

"What I'm saying…" Maruki emphasised, his voice sounding a little stressed. "Is that a simple change, thinking the donut is one-of-a-kind for example, may be all someone needs to move past their trauma."

"I guess…" Remembering their last session, Sumire's face went blank. "Are you talking about that same thing as last time?"

"Precisely," Maruki smiled heartily, the tension dissolving from his face. "I'm surprised you remembered. If you could see inside their heart, it would be easy to find the root of the problem. Once there, one change would be enough."

"…I don't think that will work."

"Excuse me?"

Struggling to raise her gaze from her lap, Sumire stared into Maruki's wide brown eyes. For the first time, it appeared her words had shocked him.

"One event, a single change… Sometimes those things aren't enough. Even if things go right for a long time, a single event can derail them, sending you spiraling back to the beginning. Change takes consistent effort. Every day, doing everything you can to work towards being better."

As she spoke the words, Sumire felt more and more sure of what she had said. That had been her issue. She had been granted a great power through her hard work. By continuing to work, she had gotten to fight by Senpai's side and grow. Even encountering another version of her sister. An illusion, as Maruki said, but an illusion founded in reality. After that though, she had given up. She had been shocked by the arrest; how pointless her efforts had been. Rather than continuing forward, Sumire had stopped moving. It had taken this conversation for her to realize that.

"H-How can you say that!? What about Kamoshida? Was he not completely changed by a single event?"

"Maybe," Sumire smiled in answer. "But what exactly makes it permanent? Could not those old feelings resurface, dragging him back down that path? Last time I talked to you… I said I was in a good place. Yesterday… I wasn't."

Standing up from her chair, Sumire pocketed the wrapped candy that she had been playing with the entire time. Her hands fell calmly to her sides.

"I know that I'm going to have more bad days… But I won't forget to keep moving. That's what your idea is missing. It doesn't include people helping themselves. Please excuse me."

Bowing, Sumire departed the room. As she left, she felt the knot in her stomach get left behind as well. In its place, a bottomless pit was revealed. "Maybe I will get some lunch after all." Smiling, Sumire made her way to the cafeteria.

* * *

_Tuesday May 31_ _st_ _, 20XX After school_

"Is everyone ready?"

"You bet Leader!"

Staring up at the gaudy Museum, Joker nodded his acknowledgement. He could still feel the exhaustion from yesterday's long day; however, they only had a single thing left to do. For that reason, Joker had made the call to do it back-to-back. This way, they could rest until the change of heart on Saturday.

"Let's get started then," Flashing them a fearless smile, Joker led the charge into the palace. Knowing where everything was from the previous trips, Joker tore through the hallways. His pace was relentless, yet he moved like a wraith. The shadows never even noticing his presence as he slipped past them. The others followed, doing their best to keep up.

Past the previously closed gate, Joker entered the section that they had only cleared yesterday. His mad sprint though the palace bringing him into strange other-worldly portraits and through sections once guarded by lasers. All too soon, they were in that strange other world that contained the final obstacles. Unlike prior, it was easy to get out. The exit had already been activated due to Yusuke identifying the correct paintings.

Then, for the second time in as many days, Joker led the party slowly into the final room. As before, Madarame stood guard at the front. He hadn't moved from that position since yesterday. Joker took it to mean that while the exhibition was ongoing in the real world, the shadow wouldn't change positions from this place.

While it was convenient to know where he would be… Joker struggled to contain a sigh. There was absolutely no way they could blitz through for the treasure. Shadows would jump them from all side. Plus, the ruler tended to have a power beyond the other occupants. It made sense; each person was the master of their own mind. Altering that meant overcoming a person's personality and beliefs.

"Hey… Can we take a minute… In the safe room?"

"Huh? Yeah sure." Brought out of his reverie by Skull's pained words, Joker led them to the nearby location. It was from here that they would have to determine a strategy for stealing the treasure.

"Urgh, thanks man."

"…Don't mention it. Sorry, I forgot about your knee."

"Nah, it's all good." Skull insisted. Despite the tough words, his face was a rictus of pain as he flexed his left leg while sitting down.

"Is that an injury from Kamoshida?" Violet asked.

"Yeah," Skull nodded sharply.

"I'd like to hear this story," Fox asked. "You all know so much about me, yet I am still in the dark about your origins."

Waving Skull to go ahead, Joker leaned against the wall and watched through hooded eyes. Not Skull, but Violet. He hadn't found a chance to talk to her before entering today. Yet, despite his worries, she appeared to be doing better. Still, it made him worry. Would these periods of brooding and strange moods be a regular thing?

"Truly, he was a horrible person," Fox shook his head in disbelief. "It is almost even more incomprehensible how he had the power to expel you when he had no evidence either."

"Tch, I know!" Skull raged back; a fire lit in him. "All these shitty adults are nothing but a pain in the ass. Let's get this one!"

"Yes… Sense… Er, Madarame deserves a change in heart…" Fox's words were less than inspiring to Joker. Still, Joker knew that Fox believed in what they were doing. Otherwise he never would have agreed to this. "I do wonder though, is it possible that the same thing will happen here?"

"Same thing?" Panther asked.

"Yes, will Madarame be arrested right as we attempt to change his heart?"

"No." Violet spoke resolutely. Her voice left no room for argument. "The principal's case was special. No one is after Madarame."

"…I see."

Deciding that was long enough, Joker pushed himself off the wall. "Enough socializing. Let's get to it."

Despite the gruff words, Joker hid a smile as he led them back into the hallways of the museum. It was moments like this where he really felt like they were growing closer as a group. The small teasing words, the inside jokes. And especially in the stories. Reaffirmation of the wrongs they have suffered. Confirmation that they were on the right path. Stopping those with twisted hearts from continuing to inflict injuries upon innocents.

Straight out from the safe room, a hallway ran. It was part of a corner where the branch to Joker's right went back to the main entrance to the giant room. Following this secondary path, Joker quickly ran into an interesting feature: a security booth. Nearly identical to the ones from earlier, Joker slid himself in.

"So, what do we have here…" Mumbling to himself, Joker analyzed the panel. Taking a moment, Joker stayed silent as he analyzed the different options. "It looks like we can switch the lights off here."

"Could be useful." Mona agreed. "Does it work though?"

"That's not everything," Joker sighed at the impatient cat. "Over here on the panel, we can open the shutters. We'll need to do that if we want to proceed further up the right path."

"Got it!" Skull agreed happily, smashing the button Joker was pointing at.

"Umm…"

"Skull you idiot! What if it turned on an alarm before we finished!?" Panther scolded him.

"Well, it appears to have worked," Fox sighed, his expression agreeing with Panther.

"Anyway…" Drawing out the word, Joker tried to bring the conversation back on track. "There is one more option. It's to turn off the protective infrared lasers surrounding the treasure."

"Oh, do that!" Skull chirped happily, undaunted by his previous daring.

"Is that necessary?" Violet wondered. "Won't Madarame feel more protected if we don't shut them off?"

"True…" Joker muttered, scratching his head. It was at times like this when he wished he had a strategist in the party. Someone who could lay out the options clearly and what each would entail.

"I say go for it," Mona chimed in.

"Hell yeah!" Skull agreed.

"I too, do not see a reason not to," Fox added as the final person to weigh in, Panther and Violet abstaining from saying any more.

Nodding, Joker operated the switch that should execute the command. Instead of the lasers flicking off as they expected, nothing happened. A moment later, the screen in front of Joker flashed red, an error message popping off. "Only Madarame can turn the lasers off, figures. That leaves just the lights then."

Without waiting for anyone else to comment, Joker flipped the main power off. As if just to spite them, even through the darkness, the red glow of the lasers could still be seen. Their presence was a final hurtle in the thieves' way.

Madarame's rage in the middle of the room was clear. About ten seconds later, the lights came back on. It was disturbing, but it made sense that there was a backup generator that would kick in. "Find out what happened!"

"Uh oh… Prepare to fight." Only a few seconds passed from Joker's order to the door bursting open to reveal one of the palace's guards. Before they could do anything, the guard burst apart and formed into three separate shadows. Forming into three dog-like beings, they attacked.

"Skull, Fox!" At the same time, Joker began firing out instructions. Their coordination improving to the point that the two boys reacted to nothing but their names. Charging forward, they absorbed the first attacks from two of the shadows. That left only one unaccounted for that Joker tracked with his eyes.

To his disappointment, the creature divebombed Panther. Perhaps the most vulnerable person to melee attacks.

"Ha, like I'd let you!"

Crying out, Mona replied with his own attack against the shadow attacking Panther.

"Kruu!" Releasing a small noise of pain, the shadow turned its focus unto the cat. With a solid battle line established, Joker was confident that they would prevail. After doing Kobayakawa's palace, Madarame's hadn't seemed quite as difficult.

Keeping himself to the back, Joker landed nimbly beside where Violet was standing, weapon at the ready. Holding out a hand, he stopped her from trying to rush in. There simply wasn't room for more than the four already involved to fight.

Without needing an order from him, Panther utilized the boys' distraction to unleash hellfire upon the three shadows with her persona. The heat from the blazing flames could be felt even metres away. There was no doubt in Joker's mind that she was, they all were, slowly getting stronger.

"Good work, keep up the attacks."

Following Joker's orders, Skull and Fox attacked the respective shadows in front of themselves with persona enhanced physical attacks. Each damaging ability shaving away a large portion of the remaining stamina allocated to each shadow.

Growing desperate, the shadows reared back their heads and brought forth their own magical energy. It cackled with a power Joker hadn't witnessed before. For some reason, the word nuclear crossed his mind as he saw it. Joker knew that actual nuclear energy should look nothing like this, yet it seemed to fit for some reason. The energy from the attack washed over all four of them, once, twice, and a third time as all three shadows unleashed the same move.

"Everyone!" Violet cried out in fear from beside Joker's shoulder.

"They've been through worse," Joker assured her, presenting a cockier front than he actually felt.

"Heh, that stung!" Mona cried, unleashed a healing light across the four of them. Joker estimated it recovered under half the damage they had taken.

Sill, Joker felt that it should be enough as long as they finished off one or two of the shadows this turn.

"Burn to ashes!"

"Hiyah!"

"Be vanquished into nothingness!"

Each one releasing their own individual line was followed by their attack. The two more heavily damaged shadows that Skull and Fox had been attacking writhed as they turned into black energy that faded into the void.

"Kruu?" Murmuring with a confused sound, the final shadow now recognized its own desperate situation. Still, its back refused to bend as it fought through the impossible situation. Attempting one final attack against Panther, the shadow was cut down mercilessly by the three boys' protection.

"Aww, we're you all worried about me?" Panther teased them.

"Like hell I was!"

"Of course, Lady Ann! It is my job to protect you."

Shaking his head, Joker didn't comment on the two vastly different replies from the boys. In his opinion, Fox took the smart route of remaining silent.

"What do you mean you weren't worried about me!? And you, who said I was so fragile I needed you to protect me!?"

Exchanging a long sidelong glance with Violet, the pair of them struggled to contain their laughter as Panther dug into the boys for their opposite answers, both of which proved to be the wrong choice. How, Joker wasn't sure.

"Umm, Senpai, won't more enemies be arriving soon?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Snapping his right hand, the conversation died instantly. "We need to ditch this place. See what else is around here that we can use to finalize a treasure route."

"Got it." Fox agreed readily, perhaps worried he as well would be dragged into the melee that was threatening to develop.

Hoping they would get out in time, Joker led them quickly through the exit of the room and into the safe room just down the corridor. With the entire party disappearing inside, Joker felt confident they got away.

Receiving a few askance glances, Joker pulled an item from his coat. "Here, share this." Joker still wasn't sure why, but many regular items in the real world gained rather mystical properties in the metaverse. This was one of them. For some reason, it couldn't be used in combat, or while exploring a palace, but could while lounging in a safe room. Even as they ate the snacks, Joker could practically see all the injured members' stamina returning. The injuries they had taken vanishing into nothingness.

"Let's get to it." As they finished eating, Joker led them out and right. Back across the entrance where Madarame watched and up the right-hand path. Indeed, where the shutters had been stopping their path was opened.

Exploring the new possibility, Joker led the thieves in a slow line, hiding behind the various sculptures that lined the gently curving hallway. It sloped up and back to the left, making a circle around the chamber where Madarame kept his treasure.

"Shadow." Mona hissed.

Nodding, Joker waited for the oblivious guard. The fight would be over quick if he got the drop on it. They were fully rested and far stronger than these random shadows. Leaping from the corner, the female secretary looking shape dissolved.

Surrounding the surprised shadow, Joker leapt on it, tearing at its essence with his knife. Hitting something important, Joker felt a jolt run through his knife as the shadow collapsed under the blow.

"S-Spare me!"

"Finish it." Not in the mood for recruiting, Joker mercilessly ordered its death. A few seconds later, there was no evidence that the shadow every existed.

"Damn dude, you're getting ruthless," Skull commented, not quite casually enough to hide the awe in his voice.

Joker shrugged. "These cognitive beings aren't worth worrying over. Let's just finish establishing a strategy to steal the treasure.

"There's also the last of the will seeds," Panther reminded him.

Frowning, Joker forced himself to consider the possibility. When they had found all three in Kamoshida's palace, it had turned out to be pretty powerful. They hadn't found any in Kobayakawa's, not to say they weren't there somewhere. However, it was likely that the final seed here was once again guarded by a powerful foe.

"Treasure route first. We can decide after if we want to try and take the final seed."

"Duh, of course we want to," Skull snorted.

"It may be selfish of me to say so, but I as well would like to remove every last bit of Madarame's distorted desires," Fox added on.

Joker felt the silent pressure from the women as well. With Violet being somewhat of a perfectionist, and Panther enjoying the thrill of combat, even if she denied it, Joker knew that he had no choice. They would be fighting for the third will seed if they found it.

The rest of the hallway was fairly standard, except for a suspicious painting on the left wall. Based on his gift from Igor, Joker knew that something lurked on its other side, just not how to get there.

Taking out another shadow, Joker arrived at the back of the large chamber. Having risen through the hallway, Joker could look down upon the treasure that Madarame was fiercely guarding, shadows at the ready. Joker ignored the presence right behind him, he really didn't need another safe room at this moment.

"I'll be right back."

"Wait, what?"

Smirking at their startled looks, Joker pulled out his grappling hook and fired. Latching unto one of the many support beams in the ceiling, he swung himself to a different balcony.

"I knew it." Pleased with himself, Joker opened the treasure chest that lay there and extracted the item within. Not giving it a second glance for now, Joker would analyze it later and whether it would be of value. For now, he had to get back. Unfortunately, he had fallen far enough that getting back would be challenging.

Examining the room he was in, led to another smirk, it was the far side of the painting. The one-way door cleverly hidden. Opening it, Joker dashed back up the hallway to where the rest of his party was waiting for him. Expecting some eyerolls, Joker wasn't prepared for the fierce glare that he met.

"Senpai! What were you thinking!? What if there was a trap or something!?"

"B-But, I was pretty sure…"

"No buts!" Violet continued with a glare. "If you want to go swinging off into unexplored territory, you have to at least bring me along!"

Joker struggled not to writhe in embarrassment under the lecture that was mixed in with Skull's snickers, and Panther's laughter hidden behind an upraised hand. "…Sure."

"G-Good. Umm, where to next?"

"Well," Joker smiled sardonically, "you are taking a trip with me to the balcony on the far side."

"I-I see."

Joker did get a bit of perverse satisfaction from seeing Violet's discomfort following her speech and realization. It was one thing to agree to swinging into the unknown, another to actually do it. "Here we go!" Wrapping an arm around Violet, Joker pulled her body against his. He would be lying if he said it wasn't pleasurable. Shooting his grapple with the other hand, Joker launched them into the air.

While it was slightly harder with one person along for the ride, it wasn't impossible by any means. Dropping them off in a rather large open balcony, Joker motioned for Violet to hide. Darting behind a potted plant, Joker watched anxiously as a shadow guard searched for them. Even with their rather limited capabilities, the shadow had noticed the rather dramatic entrance. Casting a look over at Violet, the pair shared a synchronized nod.

Darting out of cover, Joker unmasked the guard to reveal the shadows inside. There were a pair of them. Thankfully, it was a type of shadow that Joker recognized from their travels through the palace. He had recruited one, Shiisaa, a strange dog-like thing with a large beard, and almost humanesque mouth. The yellow colour dominating its body almost reminded Joker of the pictures he'd seen of lions.

True to that yellowish colour, they could attack with both powerful lightning abilities as well as strong physical moves. The most annoying part was that they resisted all types of physical attacks and completely nullified Violet's magic. They were worthy opponents.

Turning their strength against them, Joker switched personas to match the foes he was fighting and fired their lightning back at them. The bolts digging into both shadows and turning their attention to him.

"Urgh, I hate these things!" Pulling out her rapier, Violet ineffectually stabbed one, unable to do anything else.

"Ha, bet you wish you left me to do this by myself, don't you?"

"Not al all!" Even as she talked, Violet dodged an attack from a shadow that turned to her. The other sunk its fangs into Joker. Ignoring the paltry damage, Joker took advantage of the mental stamina that had refreshed overnight. This was his first fight for the day, and as such, he had no need to hold back. Once again, lightning scorched their bodies.

"Here Senpai!"

Giving Violet an excited smile, Joker felt the small amount of damage he had taken disappear under Violet's ability. With it, an additional power coursed through him. Joker had finally figured out what her light did. It healed the target, but it also applied a random buff, increasing either damage, defense, or agility. The downside being, it took Sumire far more mental stamina to heal than the others. This time, it was defense.

The boost was just in time as the two shadows recognized Joker as the primary threat and worked together to take him out. Both shadows howling at the sky, they unleashed twin lightning blasts upon him.

"Urgh!"

Grunting under the force, Joker staggered slightly as bolts of light crossed his vision. He felt like his hair was standing on end from the electrocution.

"Just die already." Contemptuously swinging his hand, Joker ripped off his mask to call forth his persona a third and final time.

"Hruu!" Letting out twin howls, the shadows dissolved back into nothingness. The room was identical to how it was before, even the scorch marks from the magic faded as they disappeared from Madarame's cognition.

"Well, that finished that," Joker declared, rolling his neck to stretch it out, "I should go get the others."

"Umm, Senpai?"

"Yes?" Joker asked somewhat warily. He still wasn't sure what she had been getting at last time they talked.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I…" Trailing off, Violet seemed to realize how bad her timing was. Nonetheless, her eyes remained resolute as they remained fixed on Joker. "You helped me so much… and yet, I forgot that because of one interaction. I doubted you, and I doubted myself… So, umm… Sorry."

"Violet…"

"Y-Yes…"

Staring at the girl, Joker wished he had wiser words for her. Something that would help this girl move past whatever kept haunting her. "No matter what happens, you can count on all of us to help. Doesn't matter what it is, you can count on me. I'm here for you."

"T-Thank you…"

Speeding away on the grappling hook, Joker hoped that his words would help a little bit. She deserved happiness. She deserved to see how amazing she is.


	13. Work is more fun with friends!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> A little later and a little shorter than I would have hoped, but it is here nonetheless.
> 
> Chapter is mostly fluff, but hopefully it is enjoyable fluff.
> 
> Once again, next chapter will probably take awhile. I hope I get it out before christmas. Even if it is on the shorter side again.
> 
> -asdf

Chapter 13: Work is more fun with friends!

_Tuesday May 31_ _st_ _, 20XX Afterschool_

"Holy shit this thing is strong!" Skull moaned.

"This is why I was against just rushing into this fight!" Senpai complained.

The light-hearted banter made Violet want to smile. However, from her support position in the fight, things we not going well. The statue-like monster guarding Madarame's last will seed was frightfully strong. Worse than its insane damage output, was what it could do to them. It did something strange where the people it hit began acting confused. No, that wasn't right, Violet corrected, it was like they were _brainwashed._

Panther healing the enemy, Skull attacking Joker. Only quick thinking by Joker had prevented the battle from spiraling completely out of control. Now, it had reached a tentative stalemate. Senpai forcing everyone to guard attacks so that they would not be subjected to anymore conditions. However, that meant they were doing almost no damage to it anymore. Their healing capacities strained to the limit.

"Something's got to change…" Senpai muttered, echoing Violet's thoughts. Despite the bind, he still had an air of nonchalance about him.

Watching him fight, Violet struggled not to swoon. This happened to her often in the metaverse. While she liked senpai in the real world as well, in the metaverse her feelings were increased several notches. Violet blamed it on that devilish smile he was wont to throw around. It did things to a girl's heart.

"Hmm… What haven't we tried yet… Wind, let's go with that!" After mumbling for awhile, Senpai did… _something._ Violet still wasn't sure, and he was always vague about his powers when they asked. Still, Violet almost felt that she could see into the depths of infinity when he changed which persona he would summon.

As he did, a wave of wind energy washed over the statue. Unlike their previous, futile attempts to deal damage, the statue groaned in an eerie approximation of pain before slumping. The stone literally bending as it crashed to the ground from where it had hovered.

"Huh, that worked. Let's go!"

Smirking slightly, Violet was confident the fight would end swiftly from now on. With a weakness discovered, shadows were super exploitable. The increased stamina that the move chipped away, in conjunction with how it left them vulnerable to further attacks completely changed the fight. It was also why they had to be so careful to cover for each other. It wasn't unreasonable that a group of three or so weak shadows could fully deplete someone's stamina by striking their weak point again and again.

Violet was still confused on exactly how different personas had different strengths and weakness, but she went along with it anyway. After all, why did humans have different talents and things they sucked at? Violet assumed it was the same for shadows.

"Finally!" Skull exclaimed. The damage their rush of attacks had done was significant. In spite of that, the statue stood, err, hovered, back up again. Its once former majesty had been shredded by the assault.

Personas and shadows in general didn't show outward signs of injury. As they got weaker, however, their aura or essence got weaker. That was what Violet could sense right now. The guardian of the final will seed would not last long.

"Gruuurgh!" Letting out a strange whirring sound, the shadow guardian attempted the brainwashing move from before.

Its aim was off, perhaps still reeling from the damage it had taken prior. First Skull, then Panther and Fox dodged the attack. That only left… "Senpai!"

"Hmm?"

Violet stared in panic as the move struck him. Whether he wasn't paying attention or was frozen in place, she didn't know. Watching fearfully, her worst fears were soon confirmed.

Joker unleashed a wicked smile before jumping toward Panther.

"Hey, watch it! Don't…! Ah!" Panther succumbed to Joker's quick hail of slashes. The combination dealing excessive damage and dropping her. Biting her lip, Violet hated to see Senpai like this. She wished there was a way for her to help.

Having done that, Joker turned to the statue and bestowed it with a ray of healing light. The energy repairing some of the damage they had dealt. As it was, the battle was teetering on a knife's edge. They needed Joker's wind magic to finish off the monster.

"Mona, is there nothing we can do?" Violet lamented to the cat that was watching with her.

"Uhh, well, only four can fight at a time, there isn't room for more."

"But can't we at least cast magic, or heal people?" Violet plead.

"Uhh… You know… You have a point." Mona agreed. While it did make sense to split up their fighting potential so that people could rest, in a fight where they needed everyone, they shouldn't limit themselves to only four.

"Well, that settles that," Violet decided unilaterally. "You knock that thing back down again, I'll fix Senpai's state."

"S-Sure… Show your might, Zorro!"

Leaving Mona to cast his wind magic on the enemy, Violet darted for Senpai. After attacking panther and healing the statue, Senpai had stopped moving for a few moments. Using this brief opportunity, Violet apologized mentally to him.

Diving forward, Violet tackled him to the ground. The form would have made a professional rugby player proud. Even before they hit the ground, Violet was reaching for Joker's bag. The seemingly endless pockets that he kept strange medicines and drinks in.

He maintained an awkward silence when pressed about the true magnitude of their depths. Reaching into it, Violet tried to quickly to pull out the different contents. If she was right, then near the top there should be…

"Got it!"

Sighing, Violet received a bottle of balm that Senpai had used before to cure Skull. The bottle fit perfectly in her hand, as if thinking about it had summoned it. Opening the bottle, she quickly rubbed a portion on Senpai's face, not really caring about how careful she was being. Things in the metaverse were more about intention than specifics.

"Watch out!"

"Huh?" Tilting her head, Violet could no do more from her position on top of Senpai than widen her eyes before the statue's attack smacked her.

"Gah!" A small spike of pain coursed through her at contact, despite her persona's power absorbing most of the contact. Instinctively grabbing unto Senpai's body, Violet felt him come with her as she was propelled backwards.

"Uff!" Landing on her back, Violet's world spun as she felt her body get compressed form both sides. Like something had landed on… "S-Senpai!?"

"Urgh… Thanks for healing me Violet… I made a mess of this fight…"

_That's not the important part!_

Protesting mentally, Violet struggled to get her mind to work. Senpai's face was almost in contact with hers. Their breaths mingling as his body pressed down on hers. "It really was no problem…"

_That's not what I need to say!_

"It was," Senpai insisted. "I've made the mistake of hoarding the healings supplies to myself. We need to find some way to spread them out. Me getting inflicted by a condition should not doom the rest of you."

"C-Can we discuss this later…?"

"Good point," Senpai agreed, frowning slightly. "The fight is still on."

"Y-Yes, the fight…" Violet whimpered.

"Right, let me just…" Trailing off, Senpai appeared to have recognized the position they were in. "Err…"

Under normal circumstances, Violet would have been thrilled to see the usually unflappable Joker look so askance. Right now though, she was dying of embarrassment.

"I'll just push off and…"

"Eek!" Feeling the strange sensation of Senpai's hand touching her in an unusual location, Violet panicked. Hand flinching upwards, she caught him solidly under the chin with her blow.

"Grugh!" The strange gurgling noise accompanied Joker's body as it carved an arc through the air before landing on his back.

"O-Oops…" Apologizing belatedly, Violet missed as the others took down the guardian of the final will seed. With Mona's magical blasts thrown in that exploited its weak point, it fell quickly to the party's attacks.

"Huh? What happened to Joker?" Skull asked.

"I saw Violet attack him…" Fox chimed in.

"Right, and then the statue attacked her," Panther finished as the three of them pieced everything together.

"You're all hopeless," Mona sighed, having been the only one with the vantage point to have seen everything. Realizing that, Violet wilted under his knowing gaze.

"A-Anyway!" Joker spoke loudly drawing attention to himself as he jumped to his feet. "Well done everyone. This fight clearly showed that we need more work integrating all our members into these fights. Let's grab the will stone and get of here."

Sharing an embarrassed look with Senpai, Violet stroked her hair awkwardly. Something had changed in her during the interaction. But… Maybe that wasn't a bad thing.

* * *

_Wednesday, June 1_ _st_ _, 20XX Afterschool_

"Why do _I_ have to deal with this?" Whining to herself, Makoto rubbed her temple with her free hand. Her other was occupied holding a clipboard with a notice on it. Every year, Shujin academy changed out its flowers in the front of the school and attempted to look presentable.

For the last two years, a singular student called Okumara Haru had been doing it. While she had once again volunteered to do the gardening work for the school… It had been the principal's responsibility to approve the finances and procure the flowers.

The principal was gone, and the vice principal had shoved it unto Makoto's lap, just like organizing the clean-up rally had been. It made her wonder what the man actually did with his time.

"Well, there is no reason to say no…" Makoto decided unilaterally. It frightened her to have so much power. Between the cost of the flowers, delivery, fertilizer, and a dozen other numbers, the school routinely spend an annual sum of close to 300,000 yen. An astronomical sum for a student to be in charge of.

Makoto considered herself an honourable person, but even she was shocked at how easy it would be for her to make minor changes and come away with a sizable chunk of money.

Dismissing those thoughts, Makoto turned to her fellow student council members to begin distributing orders. It would be easier with their help to… "They're gone."

Feeling a headache coming on, Makoto rubbed at her temple again. "Why is it always me?"

"Why is what always you, Nijima-Senpai?"

"Huh? Oh, Yoshizawa-san, it is good to see you again. Also, once again, I must thank you and your sister for aiding with the park clean-up."

"Oh, it's no big deal!" She replied with an easy smile. Glancing up and down the hallway right outside the student council room, Makoto was unsurprised to see numerous hangers-on staring at Kasumi. After her interview with the detective Akechi, Kasumi had changed from ostracized honour's student to the school's most popular.

While Makoto was thinking, Kasumi spoke again. "So, what's going on? Did you need help?"

"Uhh, well…" Glancing away in embarrassment, Makoto admitted her situation. "I've had a bunch of extra tasks fall into my hands and the other members appear to have ditched me."

"That's terrible!" Kasumi agreed with a frown. "Well, I said I'd help when you need me, so what are we doing?"

"Hmm…" Trialing off, Makoto had to think about it for a bit. While she certainly appreciated the offer, there was only so much one person could do on their own. If only she had another person that was willing to help her out!

_There is one!_

Pulling out her phone, Makoto sent off a quick text message, hoping beyond hope that the surprisingly busy delinquent hadn't made other plans yet.

"Umm, hello? Earth to Makoto?"

Ignoring Kasumi for now, Makoto stared anxiously until she received a single word reply.

_Sure._

"I found someone for you to work with." Makoto addressed Kasumi.

"Uhh, great. Who is it? What are we doing? And why does it sound like you won't be there?"

"You know him, collecting flowers from around the city, and I'll be dealing with the administrative side to ensure that things are ready when you get there."

"I know _him?"_ Kasumi muttered, her eyes narrowing. "You can't possibly mean…"

As she looked away and down the hallway, Makoto struggled not to giggle. For from the midst of Kasumi's onlookers, a single figure pressed forward. His curly black hair was in its usual mess. Somehow, his posture was both perfectly acceptable, and yet rebellious. Makoto didn't know how he managed it.

"Y-Yo!"

_How informal can you get!?_

"Thank you for accepting my request, _Amamiya-kun."_

"Haha, no problem Nijima-senpai."

_At least he can take a hint._

"So, what are you doing here, Kasumi?" Ren asked just as casually. "Or is Ms. Student council president roping you into something as well."

"Something like that," Kasumi smirked, her eyes gleaming.

It took Ren only a few moments to put it together. As he did, he stiffened a little unnaturally. "Working together again? It will be my honour."

"You bet it will!" Kasumi teased him. "Although I must say I'm a little surprised. When did the two of you get close enough to casually text each other?"

"He offered to help out with student council business when I need him," Makoto spoke quickly, before Kasumi could make anymore incorrect inferences. "I needed someone else, so I messaged."

"Right, right," Kasumi smirked, "which is why he was the first person you thought of and why he appeared so quickly."

"Ugh," Makoto blushed slightly. "To be honest… I don't umm… Have any friends."

"Any _other_ friends," Kasumi corrected her. "You have us."

"I-I see. W-Well, anyway, thank you both for helping me. I'll message you where to go by the time you hit the station!" With that Makoto fled inside the student council room. She felt… warm. A strange mix of embarrassed and happy. _Friends._ Makoto had been so focused on her studies that she had never considered even trying to make one. Her entire interaction with the student body was collecting information and distributing decisions.

However, even if Kasumi was willing to throw the word around, Makoto wondered how far it extended. Would she accept an invitation to… what was the word? Hang out?

"Just… focus on your job." Sitting down, Makoto got to work on ordering flowers and other things for the school.

* * *

_Wednesday, June 1_ _st_ _, 20XX Afterschool_

"Urgh…"

_How dare you!_

Ren could hear that thought clearly from the other students. He didn't know how to address them other than as Kasumi's posse. Their glares made him want to yell at them. That if they had had the guts to step up and volunteer to help, then they would be the one's walking beside her now.

"Sorry about this, Senpai…"

"For what?" Ren replied, feigning ignorance.

Kasumi merely raised an eyebrow, calling his bluff.

Waiting until they exited the school, Ren did a double check to make sure they had put the hordes behind them. "It isn't your fault. Besides, maybe despite the hate, if people see me with you, it will improve my reputation a little."

"Hmm, maybe," Kasumi nodded along. "To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what goes along with this whole 'popular' gig."

Ren chuckled at that. "I'm afraid I have no experience to draw on either."

"I find that hard believe. You constantly seem to be surrounded by women."

"S-Surrounded by women!?" Ren protested weakly.

"Uh huh!" Kasumi nodded with an exaggerated motion. At the same time, she increased her pace a bit, leaving Ren to scramble after her. "If it isn't my sister, then it's Takamaki-san, and now the student council president!"

"I wouldn't say that's constant… Also, how do you know about… err, I mean, what have you heard about Ann and I?"

"Ohh, _Ann,_ is it?" Kasumi prodded, with a mischievous smile. "Sumire of course. Says you like to gawk at her."

"G-Gawk!? I don't…" _Compared to Ryuji at least._ Somehow, Ren knew that saying that wouldn't do much to turn this conversation in his favour. The only thing going his way was that Kasumi didn't know about Dr. Takemi. She would never let the questioning go in that case.

"Hmm, that was a pretty guilty expression. Is there something you aren't telling me?"

_Why is she so sharp!?_

Ren had been certain that his face was neutral the whole time. Her powers of perception were a little terrifying. Ren was constantly amazed by Sumire's ability to come up with solutions to issues they faced in the metaverse. Was it possible that she was right though? That Kasumi was smarter than her?

"N-No, there's nothing…"

"Sure," Kasumi chuckled turning back to the front. For about a minute, they walked in silence. Chatter of students slow to leave and the early summer sun beating upon them was as much excitement as the walk contained. Just outside the station entrance, Kasumi suddenly halted. Stopping behind her, Ren waited for the words that were surely coming.

"I know she isn't telling me everything but… Thank you for taking care of Sumi. She's has a hard year, and you helped a lot."

Ren swallowed, allowing some surprise to show on his face since Kasumi wasn't watching him. "I've done little for her. Sumire has finally started to figure out how strong she is."

"That's good… But seriously." Ren was taken aback by the warmth in Kasumi's wide brown eyes as she turned around to stare at him. "Thank you. It means a lot."

"…" As one second and then another slipped by, Ren was finding it increasingly harder to tear his vision away from her warm gaze. Intelligent eyes that seemed to hold nothing back. This was one aspect the principal hadn't been privy too. His cognitive Kasumi had none of the kindness the real-world one possessed.

"A-Anyway!" The girl spoke, whipping her phone out to stare at it. "Oh look, Makoto messaged me. Must have been too embarrassed to send it to you. Looks like… There is a store in Shibuya that sells fertilizer. Let's go!"

"You got it…" Still a tad stunned Ren followed along with a half smile on his face.

* * *

"Oh my, aren't the two of you just the cutest! Trying to start a garden in your place, are you?"

_Can she not see the school uniforms!?_

Berating the kindly storekeeper mentally, Ren kept his awkward half smile on his face as he scratched his head. Staying silent, he left the reply to Kasumi.

"Oh, maybe we should! Except… Neither of us have a lot of time for gardening."

_What is she talking about!?_

Feeling exceedingly left out of the loop, Ren understood more and more how Sumire developed her inferiority complex. Kasumi was… on a different level. Her words were thoughtful, but could sometimes jump ahead, skipping entire conversations. Trying to reel her in would be like containing a wildfire.

Ren was doing his best but could do little more than stand around as Kasumi allowed the shopkeeper to keep considering them a couple. Or more than that even? Living together apparently.

"Oh, you sweet little thing! It doesn't take a long time. If you have a potted plant for example, you can give it a little fertilizer every other week. Its vitality will shoot up!"

"Give a potted plant fertilizer, huh…" Muttering to himself, it took Ren a second to realize why the words made him feel so guilty. That was right, he had a plant in the attic he had been neglecting.

"Did you say something?" The lady asked with a gentle smile.

"Uhh, yeah. How much for an extra bag?"

"Oh, just take it!" The woman smiled. "You've bought so many already, I couldn't possibly charge you for this one."

"Oh, thank you."

Exiting the store with Kasumi, Ren was laden down with the aforementioned bags. His arms quaked under the realization that he would have to carry them all back to the school.

"Hmm, I'm not sure what that was about, but we don't actually live together. So why the extra fertilizer?"

Rolling his eyes at Kasumi's comments, Ren tried to shrug his shoulders nonchalantly, even as the weight pulled them back down. "I wanted to see how it would work on my plant."

"Y-Your plant? I'm impressed Senpai! I definitely wouldn't have guessed you like taking care of plants. Or wait…" Freezing, Kasumi's eyes tightened in suspicion. "Is this a parole thing? You know, 'taking care of a living thing will help you respect the sanctity of life' and all that?"

Snorting at her impersonation of a judge, Ren shook his head. "It came with my place, figured I may as well give it a shot."

Kasumi sighed. "It's always the boring answer with you, isn't it?"

_If only you knew._

Ignoring his thoughts, Ren nodded once, causing Kasumi more exasperation. "Also, you don't attach a great deal of respect to the title Senpai, do you?"

Kasumi chuckled, that playful smile once again darting across her lips. "I do… For my other Senpai's. But you're Sumi's friend. Which makes you more of a well… A younger brother I guess."

"A-A what!?" Ren, for the first time in a long time, found his mask completely shattered. His jaw physically dropped as he stared at Kasumi's innocent expression. Her finger pressed to her lips with her head cocked to the side.

"Hehe, so you can make expressions if you try hard enough!" Kasumi giggled. "Keep them up, Senpai! Body language is a large part of communication, you know?"

"B-body language!?"

"Yeah, you know, like when you wink, and give the girls your flirtatious smile and they blush in response? That's body language."

"I-I have never done that before." Ignoring Kasumi's giggling, Ren focused on the pain in his arms. It helped repress the urge of doing exactly what she had said. Which is something he had never done before!

Well, maybe a couple times in the metaverse, but those weren't flirtatious smiles! They were… fearless, at best. However, Ren had to admit that he barely remembered all the shenanigans he got up to in the metaverse. Just yesterday, Sumire had healed him from a strange effect when he'd… Blinking, Ren was glad that Kasumi couldn't see his face right now. Or she would have seen straight through him.

After a moment, Ren risked a glance at her. The girl was hopping alongside him, looking quite happy. In fact, it was by far the happiest Ren had ever seen her. He wondered if that was the reason she was acting far differently from every other time Ren had talked to her. Which wasn't that many, but still enough for this to be odd.

"You should save this kind of staring for Sumire," Kasumi scolded.

"Hmm…" Holding back his question for now, Ren changed topics. "You seem to like the idea of your sister and I being a couple. Why?"

"Why?" Kasumi muttered, and for the first time that day, shifted slightly in embarrassment. "Almost sound like Akechi when you ask questions like that…"

"Did you say something?"

"N-Nothing!" Kasumi insisted. "As for your question… I guess I understand your confusion. Most people would want to protect their younger sisters. But at this point… After how badly I failed her… I just want her to be happy. Since you seem to do that…"

"You'll overlook the fact that I'm a delinquent?" Ren finished wryly. Ren used the words as a veneer to hide how much the words had touched him. Kasumi held a deep pain under that gentle, yet teasing smile.

"Don't worry, Makoto and I will work on fixing that." Kasumi assured him, appearing to buy his answer.

"And how worried should that make me?" Ren queried, finding the conversation extremely engaging. Which was useful, as he stopped to scan his card at the train station. Since, as his mind wandered briefly, the bags in his arms reminded him of his load. An unconscious groan slipping from his teeth.

"Ah, sorry about that," Kasumi apologized quickly, stepping in to take some. I was going for a high-and-mighty act, but I ended up being a bit of a bitch, huh?"

"Don't call yourself that," Ren frowned. But he did allow her to take some. The lessening of the load was very welcome. "If it got to be too much, I'd have asked for help."

"Sure," Kasumi accepted. "Anyway, back to how worried you should be… Well, not too worried right now. We'll need to come up with a schedule for you. X number of students need to see you freeing a kitten from a tree. Then you'll help Makoto organize something for student council. We'll keep you busy."

Ren forced himself to shiver and don a horrified expression. "You think I'd survive that? No, tis too cruel a fate."

"Don't be such a baby!" Kasumi smiled broadly again, rubbing her shoulder into Ren's side.

Keeping his face stoic, Ren raised an eyebrow, as if berating an annoying younger sibling. "You underestimate how difficult it would be for me to endure orders from the two of you for that long."

"Oh, psh. We aren't that bad. Makoto really is a sweet girl that tries so hard. Doesn't get much help either…"

"I had much the same opinion," Ren admitted. Conversation paused briefly as the pair of them boarded the train heading back to the school. This one was slightly emptier and enabled them both to find seats. Soon though, the larger rush hour would hit them and force them into cramped conditions.

Placing his bags on the ground, Ren closed his legs around them to give Kasumi room. To Ren's surprise, Kasumi paused for a moment before placing her bags in the seat beside him and sitting on the other side of that. As if establishing both a physical and emotional barrier between them.

Into the intimidating wall, Ren found the once easy conversation halted. Kasumi as well sent him a few awkward glances but said nothing about her reasoning. The silence remained until Ren stumbled upon a question he had meant to ask but had forgotten about.

"Say, Kasumi, Is there a reason you're happier today than usual?"

"Haha, it was pretty obvious wasn't it?" Ren didn't bother saying anything to convey his agreement. "I guess, it feels good to know that tournaments will be picking up soon. Also, I did a full routine yesterday at practice and it went well! My coach said that my technique has reached a new level!"

"Impressive…" Ren muttered. "Sumire's never told me, how did the two of you get into rhythmic gymnastics?"

"Oh, really? In fact, it was a stroke of luck, I mean, most things are. Like, you don't wake up planning to fall in love with something, right? Anyway, ahh, a message? Excuse me Senpai."

"Of course…" Ren tried to hide his displeasure at being cast aside so easily. She hadn't even bothered finishing her sentence before pulling her phone out. "Is it important?"

Ren was shocked by how much of his discontent showed in his voice. He sounded like a pouty child. Still, Kasumi appeared to take no notice, shaking her head quickly. "N-No, nothing! I-I'm so sorry Senpai."

"…You were saying something about it being a stroke of luck?"

"R-Right!"

Listening with half an ear, Ren felt the wall between them far more keenly now. Kasumi's consistent guilty looks and newfound lack of energy sapped all life from the scant conversation that flowed between them.

* * *

_Wednesday, June 1_ _st_ _, 20XX Evening_

_Thunk._

_Thunk._

_Thunk._

With the accuracy of a dancer, Kasumi slammed her head into the shower wall at timed intervals. It created a strange melody as it mixed with the pouring water. Together they forged a lullaby of betrayal.

Unable to escape it, Kasumi let the feeling wash over her. After all, she deserved it. She knew that Akechi had agreed to help her on the condition that she would collect information for him. But did it have to be _him!?_

It made a certain amount of cruel sense. Many of the other students were extremely… ordinary. Kasumi was sure each one was special in their own way but… Senpai really did stand out. Kasumi had no idea why Akechi was interested in him, or even how they knew each other. In fact, Akechi hadn't even known Ren's name. Merely said that there was a recent transfer student that was caught up in the Kamoshida affair that he wanted info on.

_Maybe that's it!_

Kasumi bolted upright, her head falling silent. Her mind had jumped to worse case possibilities. That maybe Akechi suspected Ren had done something to Kamoshida or had links to these so-called phantom thieves. It was probably far more innocuous.

Relieved, Kasumi let out a sigh. It also helped explain his final instruction: _Ensure the transfer student chooses the television station for their social trip._

It had been the one task Kasumi had made no progress on today. It was also the one thing she couldn't make heads-or-tails of. She had so many questions. How did Akechi know about the trip? Why did he care about it? What if Senpai had already chosen a different one?

It was that final question that really led to Kasumi keeping her mouth shut. Somehow, she didn't think Akechi would take kindly to failure. She wanted to trust the detective, especially after all they'd been through, but she still had her doubts.

"Kas, are you almost done?"

Shaking out of her reverie, Kasumi looked towards the door where her sister's voice had rung out from. She had gotten home late and completely exhausted. Hiraguchi had put her through the ringer for missing so many days.

"Yeah, just finishing up. Feel free to come in and get started whenever you want."

"Eh, r-really? A-Are you sure?"

Kasumi chuckled at her sister's modesty. "We used to shower all the time. It really is no issue."

Standing up, Kasumi shut off the water and grabbed a towel. She had stayed here for far longer than she should have. The skin on her hands was wrinkled badly. Letting out a self-deprecating smile at her stupidity, Kasumi took a glance at the door as a nervous Sumire entered.

"P-Pardon the intrusion!"

_Sumi really is too cute._

Watching as her nervous sister began making motions at taking her clothes off, Kasumi's desire to tease her rose. As seconds ticked by, Sumire's face slowly heated up until her skin was as red as her hair. Deciding the time was right, Kasumi tied the towel around her to free her hands and sauntered over casually.

"Did you need help undressing?"

"U-Undressing!?"

The squeal hurt Kasumi's ears as it reached a note humans were not supposed to be able to produce.

"Yes, you appear to be struggling." Kasumi continued. Walking around Sumire, Kasumi laid her hands casually on her shoulders, Sumire flinching under the contact. "Hiraguchi must have pushed you too hard. Let me get you out of these so that I can give you a proper massage."

"M-Massage!? It has been awhile since I've gone but…" Sumire's body froze. With creaking her motions her head turned to look at Kasumi. Her red eyes burned with an angry heat. "Stop teasing me!"

"Hehe, sorry, sorry," Kasumi apologized, quickly backing up. Taking a smaller towel to wrap her hair in, Kasumi let the main towel drop and began throwing her pajamas on. Hopping into a pair of comfy pants and a loose shirt, Kasumi was dressed in moments.

Pausing at the door, Kasumi couldn't help but slip in one more verbal jab. "Bet you would have yes if I was Senpai."

"H-Huh!? N-No, I absolutely would not have! Come back, you don't understand…!"

Giggling to herself, Kasumi listened as her sister's frantic words faded into the distance. A part of Kasumi was glad her sister still reacted like that. It meant she was being responsible at least. A teenage pregnancy could permanently end her career, especially in a sport like rhythmic gymnastics.

"You shouldn't tease your sister so much," Kasumi's father's tired voice rang out. He was sitting at the table reading a newspaper. He had barely closed his laptop lately, so Kasumi was happy to see him taking a bit of a break.

Kasumi shrugged as she entered the kitchen as well. Taking out a glass, Kasumi poured herself some water from the fridge. The precooled liquid feeling magical after the long hot shower. "We're sisters. Also…"

"Also?" Shinichi prodded, raising his glasses obscured eyes to stare at her over the newspaper.

"Err…" Kasumi froze awkwardly beneath her father's gaze. She had always struggled to hide things from him. The word had slipped out of Kasumi and left her with nowhere to go. "You know, it's just how sister's bond."

"…If you say so," Her father relented, lowering his gaze to the newspaper once more. "Be careful it doesn't turn into bullying alright? Just because you are having fun, doesn't mean she is."

As the conversation got unexpectedly serious, Kasumi shivered slightly. Downing the rest of her water it one big gulp, she started for her bedroom. "I'll do my best dad."

"You always do Kasumi. It's a little frightening sometimes."

"Hmm, I'll take that as a compliment!" Leaving those words behind, Kasumi swaggered back to her room. As confidently as one could in woolly, bright blue pajamas. Getting into her room, Kasumi undid the towel in her hair and hung it on the inside of her door on a hanger there. Returning to her desk, she began brushing her long brown tresses.

Kasumi smiled fondly as she remembered the days doing this side-by-side with Sumire. At the time, Kasumi had always held a secret jealousy inside, upset that only Sumire had been blessed with such an exquisite colour. Her rare red hair shimmered beautifully when it was wet.

Now, Kasumi didn't mind as much. She'd made peace with the fact that Sumire would always be the one with the better looks. But that didn't mean she would be the better gymnast.

Already imagining their next showdown, Kasumi fell into her nighttime routine with familiarity. Her mind left free to dream of the greater things that were coming. For a night, she could forget her assignment for Akechi.

* * *

_Thursday June 2_ _nd_ _, 20XX After school_

"H-How did this happen?" Bemoaning this strange turn of fate, Ren found himself once again facing a smiling student council president. The smile was not the awkwardness of acquaintances, nor was it a smile of adoration or happiness. This expression contained a perverse joy at having taking advantage of someone.

"Shujin academy thanks you for your help!" Waving a hand, Makoto left Ren alone with only his thoughts for company.

"She really is something else…"

And a cat in his bag. A talking cat, unfortunately. "Giving up on Ann for her?" Ren teased.

"Ha, you wish! Lady Ann is far superior. However… I also get the feeling she's a little safer."

Ren nodded his agreement. "The student council president can be a bit scary at times. I can't believe she got me wrapped up in delivering things again! I mean, isn't there anyone else who can help!?"

"There is one person," A voice agreed from behind him. "Although, I must wonder if you were talking aloud just for dramatic effect or not. Could it be you sensed me coming?"

_Shit!_

Plastering an awkward smile on his face, Ren turned around to face his comrade from yesterday's adventures. "Y-Yo, Kasumi. Funny to see you here."

"Not really," the girl shut him down ruthlessly. "You can't be trusted with deliveries on your own, so I need to come supervise you."

"Urgh." Wincing under the verbal assault, Ren did feel a little more excited at the prospect. Kasumi was like a wildfire. Never acting the way you expected. It meant the day's activities helping the school would be anything but boring. "Come on, let's go."

"So brusque." Kasumi sniffed haughtily. The twinkle in her eye let Ren know she wasn't offended. "I hope you treat my sister better."

"Of course," Ren snapped back, "she doesn't take every opportunity to tease me."

"Hehe, sorry about that. Anyway, I was wondering… Is that Sumire?"

Following her gaze, Ren confirmed that Kasumi was correct. Her red-haired sister was peering around the corner. The fan of red hair highlighting her presence. Raising a hand, Ren waved her over as they slowly approached.

Like a statue coming to life, Sumire moved with jerky motions. Her face as well looked frozen in a strange position. Like she was in the middle of transitioning from a smile to a glare.

"Hey Sis, what's up? Weren't you going to see Hiraguchi again?"

"No…" Sumire replied after a delay, her voice strangely devoid of emotion. "We worked pretty hard yesterday, so I'm supposed to focus on stretching today."

"Oh, alright!" Kasumi replied. The cheerful tone sounded extremely forced to Ren. The sisters were staring at each other not blinking. Well, it was mostly Sumire. Kasumi shifted, trying to avoid her gaze.

Unable to take the weird tension any longer, Ren spoke up. "Did you want to accompany us Sumire? We need to go pick things up for the student council."

"Is _that_ what is happening?" Sumire asked with a raised eyebrow. "Whatever. I need to go _stretch._ Excuse me."

Kasumi sighed heavily as Sumire strode away, her back ramrod straight. "She's still on about that, is she? I'm not helping things either… But seriously!?"

"It's not your fault," Ren tried to assure Kasumi. "I'll talk to her later and explain the situation. I'm sure she was just surprised."

"Yeah sure," Kasumi snorted. "Like she's actually going to go stretch. Mark my words, we're going to run into her following us."

"Well, better make sure we are on our best behaviour then."

"Noooo!" Kasumi howled at the ceiling. "All that makes me want to do is tease her more!"

"Consider this your punishment," Ren smirked.

"Fine."

Walking with a dejected Kasumi, Ren struggled not to stare at her pouting face. Just like Sumire's it was unbearably cute. Despite his admonition, Ren was the one that wanted to reach out and poke her cheek like he would do to Sumire.

Ren quickly found a topic to take his mind off the thoughts. "What was it you were trying to ask earlier?"

"What I was…?"

"Clearly wasn't very important if you can't even remember." Ren said.

This finally got him a glare. "Shut up. I'm trying to remember. I'm busy trying to be a good person and think about my mistakes."

"Hmm, that is easier to do when you _are_ a good person."

The joke seemed to hit a little to close to home as Kasumi winced. As he considered it a bit more, perhaps he was being a little harsh. If Kasumi was anything like Sumire, then she was probably more sensitive than she let on.

"…Maybe you're right."

"Hey, Kasumi, I was just kidding. You are a good person and a great sister. Sumire knows that."

"…" After another moment, Kasumi turned and flashed Ren a smile. All of the discontent from before had vanished. She looked exactly as happy as she had yesterday. "Why thank you! However, don't think your compliments will have me eating out of your hand!"

"Err, that's not what I was…"

"Oh yeah!" Kasumi cut him off. "I remembered! What are you choosing to do for your social studies trip next Thursday?"

_Where did that come from!?_

Blown away, Ren wished for not the first time that he was better at conversations. Someone more charismatic could have gotten to the heart of the matter here. Ren, however, had no choice but to go along with it. Sighing, he allowed Kasumi to sweep him along to wherever she was going.

* * *

_Thursday June 2_ _nd_ _, 20XX Afterschool_

"What am I doing…" Muttering to herself, Sumire followed Kasumi and Senpai from a distance. They hadn't once looked back which she was grateful for. Her hair made it hard to hide in a sea of black that was Tokyo.

The people were both monotone and yet uniquely vibrant. A strange oxymoron that Sumire didn't quite understand. If she focused on a single person, she could find something that made them unique, yet when she zoomed out and looked at the gigger picture, they faded into waves in the ocean. Repetitions of the same event and appearance.

The meaningless thoughts were a brief reprieve from looking at _them._ Sumire didn't feel betrayed, Senpai had asked her to join them. Yet… She wanted to see. For all her sister declared that she had no interest in him, Sumire didn't see it. They weren't touching, but she hadn't shut up. The conversation ebbed and flowed; its topic indiscernible as it faded out before reaching Sumire's ears.

From what Sumire remembered, Kasumi wasn't overly talkative. Most people didn't enjoy her conversations as she'd say whatever was on her mind with little filter. That quickly led to uncomfortable silences and Kasumi giving up on talking to them.

Sumire was unsure of what to make of the fact that such a thing hadn't happened yet. Ren usually didn't say too much. Or didn't used to anyway. As they spent more and more time in the metaverse, it seemed to Sumire that his more talkative Joker persona had been bleeding back into the real world.

Puzzling on these thoughts, Sumire almost kept walking as the pair entered a building. "A… flower shop?" Flowers for the school. Sumire realized she had indeed seen a student doing some planting outside yesterday. They may be retrieving more so that they'd be able to finish the front lawns.

"Why did I follow them?" Sumire wondered for not the first time. Entering a side street, Sumire sat at the bench and stared at the sky. "Maybe… I hope they'll get together."

Sumire blushed as the words that she should never have thought were released into the sky. They made a chilling amount of sense, however. If Kasumi and Senpai were together, then she'd still get to see Senpai. At the same time, she would no longer have to worry about where they stood with each other. It was a coward's answer to her situation.

"Kasumi hasn't even given me a clear answer on that detective…" Taking a glance back to where the store was, Sumire wondered how she could go about getting one. Kasumi had been in a strangely upbeat mood yesterday. If Sumire had been willing to endure her teasing long enough to get a massage…

"Nope! Not happening!"

Discarding the plan, Sumire stood up quickly. She had to find something to distract her. These lines of thinking would lead her down avenues she had no intention of walking. "Just focus on getting stronger. On improving." Reminding herself of her goal, Sumire felt a little better as she exited the side street and leaned against the corner. From here, she could watch people walk past but remain out of the way.

With her fingers, Sumire twiddled with the ends of her long hair. It was almost to her stomach. Too long had passed since she had cut it. Hiraguchi had reminded her about it yesterday when Sumire had hit herself in the face with her ponytail. Long wasn't a problem. _Really long_ was.

Looking forward at the next few days, Sumire tentatively scheduled herself an appointment for Sunday. The Phantom thieves were meeting briefly tomorrow to finalize their plan. Then Saturday was the actual heist. That left Sunday as her sole day to get her hair cut. "Maybe I should invite Kasumi…"

Last Sunday hadn't gone very well. But then again, Sumire was a bit overwhelmed at the fact that her sister was the one responsible in getting the Principal arrested.

After having spent a few days moping around feeling sorry for herself, Sumire was in a… curious mindset. She could still feel the potential to regress back into that darkness pulling at her. Currently however, the words she had said to Maruki still burned in her heart. She wanted to reach her goals, her way. That was why she hadn't accepted Senpai's invitation to join him and Kasumi. Yes, that it. Not to scope out how well the two of them got along, definitely not.

Shaking her head, Sumire tried to prevent her head from slipping back down that dangerous route. Doing so would undermine her determine. However, it did lead her thoughts to the main conundrum that Sumire still hadn't been able to solve. Despite having ample time to think about it, Sumire still wasn't sure if she _should_ if given the chance, go out with senpai.

On one hand, Sumire thought she loved him. But what if it was just how she could depend on him that she loved? Would going out with him increase her dependence on him? Would it prevent her from moving forward? All of these questions completely ignoring the elephant in the room: did Senpai like her like that in the first place?

"Onwards! Back to the school!"

"Urgh…"

The groan was pitiful, but oh so familiar. Peering around the corner, Sumire found Senpai and Kasumi exiting the shop. Pushing herself upright, Sumire prepared to follow after them. At the station she would leave them alone and head to the park to do her stretches. That hadn't been a lie, she really did need to keep her flexibility up.

"Oh Senpai!" Kasumi lamented, her face a rictus of fake sorrow. "How cruel it is that you must be burdened so! If only there was someone else, anyone else, who was headed the same way as us!"

_Very subtle._

Sighing at her sister's exaggerated monologue, Sumire walked out and faced them. "I can help." Looking at her sister's twinkling eyes, Sumire blushed deeply. Partly from realizing they had known she was following the whole time. Another portion from how people swirled around them, looking on as if there was a play happening.

"Mine own sister!?" Kasumi gasped, unrelenting on her acting. "What a strange place to come to stretch. Please, don't stop because of us."

"Shut up," Sumire moaned, hating the chuckles from the passers-by. "Give me those and let's go."

Taking some of the bags forcibly from Senpai's hands, Sumire appreciated that he was in fact extremely overloaded. His expression was haggard, and they hadn't even started the journey back. As she took them, her fingers slid against his momentarily. The brief contact sending a jolt down Sumire's spine, her fierce blush refreshing itself.

"You know," Kasumi commented, "you'll have to be a _little_ bit more subtle if you want to get PDA past me."

"S-Shut up!" Sumire whined. Glaring at Kasumi, Sumire aimed a kick at her shins. As she expected, Kasumi danced out of the way without even hitting anyone.

"Fine, fine," Kasumi agreed. "Seriously though, are you doing a stretching session? Because I could use one."

"Yeah, I was going to go to the park after this." Sumire nodded. Even as she agreed, she kept a wary eye on her sister.

"Oh fun! Can I come?"

"Yeah, of course." Relaxing slightly, Sumire was glad that Kasumi appeared to have gotten her teasing out of the way. It could be a bit much at times.

"This is going to sound strange…" Senpai spoke.

Sumire felt bad. She had almost forgotten he was here with how worried she was about Kasumi.

"But can I come as well?"

"H-Huh? Are you possibly interested in gymnastics Senpai!?" Sumire asked hopefully. She didn't want to say it was a dream come true… But if she knew Senpai was in the stands watching her, Sumire knew there was no way she'd fail.

Kasumi on the other hand just sighed. "I'll warn you, staring at our asses will get boring after about five minutes. The gym sweats aren't particularly flattering either."

"Huh?" The mirrored noise came from both Sumire and Senpai. Taking a glance over at him, Sumire watched with wide eyes as his cheeks began to heat unnaturally.

_Kasumi was right!_

"N-No that isn't it!" Senpai stuttered as he tried to speak. Sumire wasn't sure if she had ever seen him this unnerved before. "I want to improve my flexibility is all! And maybe learn some maneuvers!"

"Rrrright." Kasumi drawled, rolling her eyes. "And when would ever use either of those?"

"Err, you know, when I do my delinquent stuff. Like _robbing_ people."

"Oohhh!" Senpai was hoping it would help in the metaverse. Sumire had to admit that she was one of their better fighters already despite being less experienced. Part of that was because she had an easier time dodging attacks and responding. "P-Please feel free to tag along then, Senpai!"

"Thank you for understanding."

"…I feel like I missed an entire conversation," Kasumi sighed. "Whatever, if you two want to get all sweaty and stare at each other, go ahead."

Glancing at Senpai out of the corner of her eye, the two of them shared a connection for a moment before Sumire quickly broke it. _Why did Kasumi have to go and make this weird?_

* * *

_Thursday June 2_ _nd_ _, 20XX Evening_

"Urgh…" Letting out another unseemly groan, Ren waited for the torture to end. He never thought stretching could hurt so bad. He had been thoroughly disabused of that notion by the Yoshizawa sisters. With Sumire taking off her glasses and tying her hair back, they truly did look similar. The same bright smile, the same petit nose. Yet each one possessed their own individual quirks that set them apart.

"Now bend!" Sumire coached. "B-But, ah, don't look."

_Damn you Kasumi!_

Cursing the girl silently, Ren's agony went far deeper than the stretching. It was in the prior teasing, and implications. Even as Sumire bent into the next stretch, Ren found it hard to watch and mimic. His eyes naturally drifting to her backside in response to Kasumi's taunts. Forcing him to forcibly rip them away. Only then to find Kasumi watching him with that knowing smile of hers.

Ren was trying not to stare, he really was. If Kasumi had never brought up, it wouldn't have been a problem. But now, it was torture. The temptation of looking. Of knowing how Kasumi will judge him.

In an attempt to avoid the possibility, Ren had positioned himself besides the girls. It had been a good idea, until Kasumi managed to rotate them again. Now, once again, Ren was at the back. It made him wonder if Kasumi _wanted_ him to stare. Part of Ren wanted to try it. Stare until they called him out.

For now, however, his indecision warred with his aching body. Transitioning from right to left, Ren began to further punish his body. Pushing his hands toward his foot, Ren struggled to touch his toes. At the same time, both sisters held an identical pose, arms wrapped behind their leg, upper body completely aligned with their leg. It was a disgusting level of flexibility that far exceeded Ren's limits.

"Should we go through some simple forms?" Sumire suggested.

"Huh? Why?" Kasumi asked, tilting her head. "I thought you were just stretching."

"W-Well, I don't want Senpai to get bored!"

Translation: Sumire thought that the jumps would be more helpful for Ren in the metaverse than continual stretching. He was glad for it. Anything to end the painful monotony of the last ten minutes or so.

"Hmm, fine." Kasumi relented. "Proceed, teacher Sumire."

"M-Me!? I-I thought you would be doing it!"

"Why? This is your session, I just tagged along."

"Urgh." Sumire winced. Ren agreed silently with Kasumi's words though. Sumire should be able to do something like this. "W-Well then… J-Just watch me and copy what I do."

"Got it." Ren did his best to maintain a serious composure. It would undermine Sumire's confidence if he laughed. Which made it all the harder to not do so. Still, Ren managed to keep a straight face as Sumire, fairly awkwardly, attempted to teach him some basic steps. She kept using the word 'bearing' as she went about it. She went about walking on the balls of her feet. But it wasn't like she was tiptoeing. She had just changed how she walked. In doing so, see glided along the uneven grassy hills with grace.

"So just… Do that, huh?" Ren muttered, a little disheartened.

"It's all about bearing!" Sumire insisted.

"Uh huh, and a _lot_ of calf muscle." Kasumi added on unhelpfully.

True to his word, Ren spend time duplicating Sumire's movements. Or rather, trying to. He felt like a fool as Kasumi and Sumire danced around him. Both of them moving as if not impeded by the rules of the world. Ren on the other hand, was feeling gravity in a way he hadn't before. It dragged on him, making him conscious of every move. Of how his center of gravity was constantly mispositioned.

"This… is hard."

Kasumi snickered at him. "I'm surprised. You seem genuinely interested in learning."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ren retorted, still struggling to mimic the movements properly.

"I think most boys would call it girly," Kasumi said, crossing her arms as she stared at him. "Yet you put everything you have into it. Interesting…"

Ren stumbled slightly under her scrutinizing gaze. It had an implacable intensity about it. As if she was ripping away the layers of lies he'd built up.

"W-Well Senpai probably just wants to understand the sport for when he comes to watch us!" Sumire broke in.

""What?"" Rena and Kasumi overlapped. Staring down the red-haired instructor, Sumire blushed.

"I-I mean… I hoped he would come…"

"Are you sure you want Senpai there to watch me kick your butt?" Kasumi teased.

"W-What are you talking about!? You just don't want him there to see you lose!"

"Ha, tough words from someone who can't even get their leg to 190 degrees!"

"I still have some time," Sumire muttered, having clearly lost the exchange.

"Calm down, both of you. I'll try and come to your competitions. After all, we're friends, right?"

Both of the girls froze as Ren looked back and forth between them. Suddenly, showing off their similarities, they blushed and began shifting restlessly. Ren cast his mind back over his words, had he said something wrong? Why did both of them look like that ate something that disagreed with them?

"I-I mean, I guess if it really interests you… You can come." Kasumi replied first.

"R-Really? It would be great to have you there, Senpai!"

"Then I promise to make it to at least one of your competitions," Ren swore. "Since it seems to mean a lot to you both."

"Ugh, why do you have to say these things?"

"Waaah! Why is my heart beating so fast!?"

"Ha…" Laughing weakly, Ren could only scratch his head in confusion. He didn't really understand what was going on. But if they were happy, that was good enough for him.


	14. A Fateful Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Happy Holidays!
> 
> Hopefully they are going well. I said I'd try to get a chapter before Christmas which I just managed. This will be the final chapter of the year, but I hope I can keep things rolling in 2021.
> 
> I'm grateful for the support so far, and I hope I can continue to write an enjoyable story.
> 
> Later :)
> 
> -asdf

Chapter 14: A Fateful Encounter

_Part 1: The Artist's Revenge_

_Friday June 3rd 20XX, After school_

"We're all ready, yes?" Ren asked lightly. Leaning against the crosswalk in Shibuya, he couldn't help but have a small smile on his face. It was only overcast, but Ren was in a good mood. He always felt good before heist days.

It was when the anticipation was at its peak. The day when they did little more then hang out together and ensure the card was fully prepared for the heist tomorrow.

"Yes," Yusuke nodded. As always, the boy had an… _interesting_ air about him. "I have finished the calling card-"

"With my help!" Ryuji injected, proud as always.

"Yes, you really, er, well you had great motivation."

Snorting at Yusuke's words, Ren shared a look with the giggling girls. Morgana, meanwhile, rolled his eyes. At a look from Ren, however, Morgana held back the reply. Sometimes Ren wondered if the rift between the two of them was growing worse instead of better.

"May I see the card, Yusuke Senpai?" Sumire asked, polite as usual.

"Of course, please enjoy," the boy seemed genuinely excited to show his work off.

Peering over Sumire's shoulder, Ren nodded along as Sumire read it. The cards had been improving each time. This one no longer sounded like – how had Ann put it? – it was written by an angry child, or something similar. The one to the principal had been slightly better, but the content was still only mediocre. That had been the major improvement here.

"Did you do the text, Ryuji?" Ren asked.

"Hell yeah I did!" He puffed out his chest. "It's good isn't it?"

"It… Actually is," Ann blinked in surprise. "Wow, Ryuji, I'm impressed!"

"I would have done better," Morgana muttered sullenly from Ren's shoulder. Eyeing the cat, Ren raised his eyebrows in challenge.

"You want to write the next one?"

"Err, I mean… I could. I just need to spend my time making more meaningful contributions, like thief's tools! I mean, the quality of text isn't that important!"

"Sure, sure." Ren smiled. "I guess we should do some more crafting tonight, yeah?"

"You bet!" Morgana preened, "who knows what we'll need to pull this off. It has to be our most complex plan yet."

"Not exactly inspiring," Ren commented, "but you aren't wrong. There are a lot of moving parts tomorrow. People will be separated. Lots could go wrong…"

Looking around, Ren realized everyone had heard his words. Scratching his head, he tried desperately to think of a follow-up. Some words that would calm their nerves and…

"Hehe, if you're that worried Senpai, you can stay home." Sumire taunted him with a light punch in the side.

Ren blinked at the physical contact. Small as it was, it was unusual for her. Maybe she was more comfortable around him after the practice yesterday? Musing silently, Ren didn't realize he was staring at Sumire until Ann coughed pointedly.

"S-Scared? Of course not. Just concerned you amateurs will screw this up for me."

"I, of course, will do my best." Yusuke frowned, taking Ren's joke literally. His blue eyes betrayed a slight wound that Ren had inflicted. "I think after our time together I will be able to benefit the group."

"Y-Yusuke, I wasn't trying to infer…"

"Why you gotta do that leader?" Ryuji smirked, shaking his head as he ragged on Ren. "Stop picking on the new guy already. He's been with us through the hell that Principal turned into."

Sighing, Ren just smiled and gave up on talking. With Ryuji's words, the atmosphere lightened again. Yusuke as well finally clueing in that Ren hadn't been insinuating anything.

As the conversation lulled, Ren looked out over the crossing. The giant intersection where people mulled about in great hordes. As jobs came to a halt for the day, it was easy to find the businessmen and OLs returning home. Others however, travelled in mixed packs searching out bars and nightclubs. With the weekend arriving, their responsibilities were done. Others, maybe, were waiting eagerly to attend Madarame's exhibit.

That potential helped reignite the fire in Ren's stomach. He had spent so long contemplating the Principal's fate and the twists that awaited him in that aftermath, that he was struggling to focus upon the next target. A target that had probably caused more suffering than the principal. Even if Madarame's days of crime were beginning to come to an end as he stopped taking on pupils to abuse; his previous history was inexcusable.

Even if changing his heart would only help Yusuke, it would be worth it. Thinking about the boy, Ren's eyes tracked back over to him. They hadn't really given Yusuke an option with the principal, but Ren wondered if the boy would continue to aid them after Madarame was dealt with. This was more a partnership built on a shared goal than teammates…

"Is there something on my face?"

"Huh?" Jerking, Ren realized he had been staring too intently. The rest of the group snickering at Ren's shock. "Oh, I was just thinking about after we've changed Madarame's heart."

"After?" Yusuke muttered. "I… hadn't given thought to it. As foolish as that sounds to say."

Morgana sighed loudly, standing up on Ren's shoulder to command everyone's attention. "I keep telling you, don't sweat the future. Live in the _now."_

"I'm not sure about that Morgana Senpai," Sumire disagreed politely. "If you never plan ahead, you'll never achieve your goals."

"Huh?" Ann questioned, tilting her head. "Why not?"

"W-Well…" Stuttering, Sumire blushed as everyone looked at her. "I mean… I want to become a world class gymnast. To do that, I need to do constant training, continually strive to improve my flexibility, watch my nutritional intake. I can't just wake up in the morning and decide to drink a soda. It would undermine all of my efforts!"

"Eh!?" Ann gasped. "You work so hard! Are you saying I shouldn't be eating double chocolate crepes after doing a photo shoot!?"

"Err… Isn't that…"

"Kind of obvious?" Ryuji sighed, shaking his head at Ann. Then, with a curious glance, he looked back at Sumire, as if acknowledging her as an athlete for the first time. "You know… You remind me of myself a couple years ago. Pushing for a scholarship to college…"

"I guess Kamoshida changed that, huh senpai?" Sumire muttered, her gaze tracking down to his knee.

Ren as well, felt the familiar surge of anger that they all did. The abuse of power from people in charge. From the people that were supposed to be helping them. "You move pretty well…" Ren spoke hesitantly, a little afraid to cross a line. "Have you thought about trying to pick it up again?"

Ryuji didn't answer instantly. After a short moment, he put that goofy grin on and laughed. "No way! I'm doing something far important right now!"

Ren caught Sumire's eye. The girl as well seemed a bit worried by Ryuji's answer. Ren was glad Ryuji was excited about being a phantom thief… But this work wouldn't continue their entire lives. _It better not anyway._

Smirking at the possibly, Ren raised his voice. "So, we meet tomorrow at six in the morning. Morgana begins to spread the cards around Shibuya and the exhibit in general. Yusuke is at the exhibit until Madarame is informed, then comes and meets us to enter the palace. Everything should be wrapped up by noon. Sounds good?"

"You got it leader!"

"Yupp!"

"It shall be my honor."

Waving goodbye to them all, Ren pulled subtly on Sumire's sleeve.

"Senpai?" She asked quietly as they dispersed.

"Can I have a moment to talk to you alone?" As he talked, Ren shouldered Morgana to inform him that Ren meant _alone_ alone.

"Fine, fine." Sulking, Morgana hopped off and began wandering by himself through the station. Ren had long since stopped worrying about him when he did this. Morgana could take care of himself.

"I-Is there something you need to ask me Senpai?" Sumire stuttered. As she played with a lock of her hair, Ren continued to watch her for a moment. He was often surprised by how easily the two of them got along. "Umm… Senpai, if you keep staring…"

"Am I not allowed to look at you?" Ren asked.

"I-Its not that… B-But… c-could it be…?"

Unsure where the blushing girl was going with her words, Ren illuminated her. "I was hoping you could continue mentioning your gymnastics in front of Ryuji."

"W-What?"

"I think it would be good to remind him that there is more to his life than the phantom thieves…" Trailing off, Ren pursed his lips as more worries crossed his mind. "Whenever we hang out, Ryuji calls it training for the metaverse. All he talks about is how we can change things for people… You can remind him that there is more to life than our new group."

"…Yes Senpai."

As Sumire pouted, Ren wondered what he did wrong. She had seemed so excited just a moment before. What changed? "I-Is this a problem? Or am I off base with my assumptions?"

"No. I think you are right about Ryuji Senpai. He has forgotten his love for the sport."

The answer was flat and monotone. Sweating now, Ren was positive he had screwed up. Sumire was twitching like she couldn't wait to get away from him…

"H-Hey Sumire… I know I'm not perfect… But, if something _happened_ to be wrong, you would tell me, right?"

"Of course, Senpai. What could possibly be wrong?"

"N-Nothing… Just wanted to make sure that we are on the same page." Ren couldn't believe how hard Sumire was to read today. Her face had flattened into a dead expression that betrayed nothing but disappointment. Even her eyes seemed a duller colour than previously.

"Good. Well, I have practice to get to. Please excuse me."

"S-See ya…" Waving a tentative hand, Ren pressed it to his face as soon as she walked away. "I'll never fully understand her…"

Leaning against the rail again, Ren waited in a stupor for Morgana to return. In less than a minute, the familiar sounds of cat nails against the floor rang out, surrounded by the surprised mutterings of people that such a tame cat was walking around by itself.

"Yo, what's with the face? Can it be… Did she reject you!?"

"Reject me?" Ren asked. "I… don't think so. It sounded like she'll do as I asked…" Shaking his head, Ren picked Morgana up and placed him in the Shujin bag. "I'll never understand her."

"You don't have to," Morgana soothed him. "Only deify the ground upon which they walk…"

Feeling like they'd encountered a junction in their understand of the situation, Ren stayed silent. The cat could be even stranger than Sumire.

* * *

_Saturday June 4_ _th_ _20XX Early Morning_

Standing at the familiar crosswalk, Sumire put the umbrella away. It was only a light drizzle for now, but she hoped the weather didn't ruin all of the calling cards. That would be an awkward way for their mission to fail.

Right now, only Ryuji Senpai was present. Unbidden, Senpai's words from yesterday rose in her mind. It seemed like he was right. Ryuji was so focused on the phantom thieves' work that he refused to miss a second of it. Even Senpai, the de facto leader, was taking a bit of a break.

If Sumire were to check his phone, she was sure that he would be surfing the phansite. Checking the top ratings, and who the next target should be. Sumire remembered when she did that. In the time before she had joined the group. Ever since awakening to her persona, however, Sumire hadn't visited it.

"Guess I should try for Senpai…" Approaching Ryuji, Sumire tried not to feel disappointed about the talk yesterday. Once again, she had gone and gotten her expectations up. But he had been looking at her so intently…

"Oh, hey Sumire! You're early!"

"Yes, you as well, Ryuji Senpai…" But was it really her fault, that her expectations were so high? Senpai always seemed so good at figuring out what people needed and helping them. But for some reason, he just stared longingly at her then started talking about a guy!

"Is… everything alright?" Ryuji asked, maybe seeing Sumire's grumpy expression. "If you're worried about today, I wouldn't be. This'll be a cinch!"

"A-Actually, it's not that…" Supressing her wild thoughts, Sumire focussed on Ryuji. "I'm just a little sore after training yesterday…" _A lot sore._ Hiraguchi had been relentless. "She recommended jogging as a good way to stay fit on rest days, I just need to watch my form… I thought maybe you could help with that."

"Form is pretty important," Ryuji agreed quickly. As his eyes sparkled slightly, it was easy to see the runner return. "Most important part is foot strike. Amateurs will ruin their knees by thinking they need to extend their leg in front of them.

"But the real key is landing beneath your body. Then you allow the kick back to send you forward. Your pace should be dependant almost entirely on cadence, your stride length staying the same."

Blinking at the impassioned talk, Sumire wondered if maybe Senpai's worries were unfounded. Sure, Ryuji was passionate about the phantom thieves, but he seemed to share that passion for everything he did.

"Oh yeah!" Ryuji continued as if had remembered something. "Ren and I go for runs after school sometimes, throw in sprints as well. You should come, its good training for the metaverse. After all, you never know when you need to book it out of there!"

But then again… Maybe Senpai did have a point. "Umm… I suppose if the days line up… I wouldn't mind." Giving a bit of a vague answer, Sumire wasn't sure if she had helped at all. At that time though, others were beginning to filter in. Senpai, coffee in hand, with a pleased looking Morgana in his bag. From the other direction came a sleepy Ann still yawning away the morning exhaustion.

That meant the group was fully assembled, only missing Yusuke who was waiting for Madarame to read the letter. Checking her phone, Sumire confirmed that the exhibit had only opened five minutes ago or so. With the exhibit being about ten minutes from the crossing, it would probably be at least that amount more until Yusuke showed up.

"I can't believe," Ann muttered, "that the one Saturday we don't have morning classes, you made us get up anyway."

Senpai simply shrugged, nonchalant about the accusation. "May as well take advantage of the free time. No use sitting about twiddling our thumbs all morning."

"Exactly!" Ryuji crowed, "See Ann, _that's_ why he's the leader."

"Because he makes us wake-up early?" The girl replied, with a raised eyebrow. "In that case, wouldn't _you_ be the leader, since it looks like you were the first one here."

"Hey, that's not a bad…"

""NO!"" Multiple voices cut Ryuji off, ending his thought. Sumire tried not to giggle at the boy's consternated expression.

"Did you all sleep well?" Sumire asked, to break the ice. It would be uncomfortable to stand around for another ten minutes to an hour in total silence.

"No," Ann muttered sullenly. "I was browsing this article about these new crepes, and how they might be coming to a store in Shibuya, so obviously I tried tracking it down, but by the time I figured out they weren't coming to Japan, it was three in the morning!"

"Ah haha…" Chuckling weakly, Sumire hoped Senpai would save her from the awkward ending.

"Fret not lady Ann! Just tell me what they are, and I shall not stop until you get one!"

"…" Morgana's words were a little… excessive to Sumire.

"But now!" Ann continued as if she hadn't heard the cat. "I realize that they are in America, and guess where we're going this Summer? Hawaii!"

"W-We?" Sumire asked.

"On the school-trip!" Ann clarified. "I _think_ it is only second-years though."

"O-Oh no, I-I was just curious," Sumire clarified. "It wasn't like I wanted to spend time with Senpai on the beach in swimsuits. D-Definitely not!"

"On the beach with Ann… In a swimsuit…" Morgana's voice had a dream-like quality to it. Re-evaluating him, Sumire wondered if they weren't so different after all.

Morgana could be a valuable ally to help her in getting alone time with Senpai… She'd need some way to bribe him though. Running her fingers along her arm methodically, Sumire tried to think about the problem. Would a double date work? Probably not. You can't exactly take a cat to supper.

_What am I thinking!?_

Shaking her head quickly, Sumire dispelled the strange plans that had been trying to form. Trying to set-up Morgana and Ann just to free up Senpai was wrong.

"You alright?" Sidling up to her, Sumire blushed as she felt Senpai poke her in the arm with a finger.

"I-It's nothing." Sumire stuttered in reply. "J-Just thinking about some… things…"

_Why did I say that!?_

Before Sumire could beat herself up internally for too long, Senpai replied with a smirk. "Some… Things, eh? That sounds vaguely suspicious enough for a thief I suppose."

"Stop teasing me," Bowing her head, Sumire could hear the various chuckles from the other members. She felt like this happened more than it really should. The teasing was light-hearted, but Sumire's heart still fluttered uncertainly with a slight fear that they may be making fun of her.

_But that's what it means to have friends… Right?_

As Sumire looked around, she realized the words were true. This was her first group of friends. If Sumire was being honest with herself, she'd admit that her social skills were a little… lacking. The experience she had until now was playing second fiddle to Kasumi. She was all Sumire needed until recently.

Wondering why her thoughts were replaying useless conversations, Sumire tried to focus on her surroundings. On what was about to happen. They were going to steal a heavily protected treasure in the metaverse. One misstep, and they would die.

Sumire felt like that was something they didn't discuss enough. The very real possibility that at any moment a shadow too strong for them, or a fall from too high, would spell their end. When she looked at it that way, their actions were very high risk for… almost no reward.

Perhaps that was why when the principal was arrested, with no accolades for the phantom thieves, it bit that much more. This calling card was far more obtrusive, however. No one would miss the fact that the group had made a second move.

"Deep thoughts?" Senpai queried, raising an eyebrow. "About some… things?"

Sumire coloured, her cheeks reheated at his deliberate pause that let the rest of them giggling. "K-Kind of…" Sumire admitted. "I was just considering how little we get out of this for how much effort we put in."

"You got a point there," Ann sighed. "Although, people at school talk to me now, so I guess that's an occasional plus."

"Dude, I'm still an outsider!" Ryuji complained. "It's all good though! When we're famous, no one will be able to resist me!"

"Don't you understand what _phantom_ means?" Morgana scolded the blond boy. "It means no one knows who we are!"

"That's sooo lame!" Ryuji yelled pounding his fist against the metal railing. "I mean… we're the phantom thieves! They should show us some-"

"Shut up!"

Sumire shivered slightly from the unusual anger in Senpai's voice. Even though the words were quiet, they contained an otherworldly force to them. It had been a while since Sumire was reminded of her initial awe upon seeing him. That feeling like he was an entirely different thing. Almost as if he was the only one that was truly alive in the world.

_I'm being stupid again._

Cleansing her thoughts of the nonsense, Sumire glanced at an uncharacteristically abashed Ryuji. "What, no one is watching us."

"I don't care," Senpai continued, "those words should never leave your mouth… Ever!"

"I think he gets it," Ann agreed with an eyeroll.

The group was noticeably tenser than before. Sumire found herself constantly peeking over her shoulder. As if waiting to see a figure who was listening to everything. A plan to take them down already fully established. With the last part achieved, they'd wink once before vanishing into the Shibuya traffic.

Shivering at her imagination's wiles, Sumire took a half-step closer to Senpai. With their jackets almost touching, Sumire felt warmer already. "So, I was just wondering… but what if people did find out that we were… _you know."_

Leaving it vague, Sumire didn't want Senpai's anger to turn unto her. Glancing around the other four occupants, each one kind of shrugged concomitantly. Sumire couldn't blame them for their response. There was unlikely to be a law they were breaking. But would that matter?

Parliament could pass new laws. Banning their activities and labelling them criminals. It was a scary thought. It also added just a little more to the risk scale that Sumire had been contemplating earlier.

"Don't worry about it," Morgana waved off Sumire's concerns. "No one knows about the metaverse, ergo, they can't catch us!"

"Easy for the cat to say," Ann sighed. "But I agree. They can't really do anything to us, so relax, you'll be fine."

As Ann laid a comforting hand on Sumire's shoulder, she wondered how bad her face looked. Everyone had started trying to cheer her up, so it couldn't be great.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Yusuke!" Ryuji greeted the boy happily. "Nah, just chatting. We good?"

"We are indeed."

"Well then, let's do this."

Smiling, Sumire gazed at Senpai with everyone else. Putting a hand in the centre, they shared a singular cheer before the mission began.

* * *

_Saturday June 4_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Perched on top of the wooden beams, Joker struggled to contain his anxiety. He didn't like having people running around on their own if it wasn't him. He was fine risking himself, but the others shouldn't have to.

Currently, however, all Joker could do was stare down at the security window where Panther, Skull, and Fox would be entering shortly. It was Skull's job to lead the guard away, then Panther and Fox would signal Joker that they were ready. One staying at the window relaying signals, the other working the controls. Right behind Joker and a couple metres below, Violet stood waiting at the lever to lower the hook that Mona was tied to.

Much of this strategy, too much, in Joker's estimation, was relying on the shadows' inability to look up. The cognitive beings had severely lacking mental capacity for the most part, and therefore struggled with three-dimensional movement.

While that was true for the average person as well, the shadows took it to an extreme degree. The same way everything in the metaverse was taken to the extreme. So many normally unchangeable rules become bendable when cognition changes. It meant that power in the metaverse was largely dependant on how a person perceived themselves, and whether they had the strength of heart to resist.

Joker's thoughts were interrupted by a wave at the window. The signal from Yusuke that they had gotten into the room and were prepared to shut off the lights. Acknowledging it with a nod, Joker held up a singular finger in response.

It meant one minute, assuming everything went well. It should take Skull that long to lose the security guard and make it here. At which point, the lights will shut off and the treasure will be stolen.

With the plan past the point of turning back, Joker waited anxiously in his crouched position. Skull's part in this plan was by far the most challenging. After him, Fox and Panther would need to evade that same guard on the way out of the security booth. Compared to them, Joker, Violet, and Mona were doing nothing.

Just as Joker was getting worried that Skull had failed, or been captured, the panting boy slammed into the room. Nodding at him, Joker sent a glance at Violet. Receiving a thumbs-up, he waved for Fox's attention.

After finding it, Joker held up five fingers, then lowered one to make four. When he went to three, he signalled Violet to begin lowering Mona. There wouldn't be time to go all the down and then back up while the lights were off. They had to start the descent before the darkness set in.

Watching with bated breath as he went down, Joker struggled not to prematurely lower the fingers. Forcing his mind to relax, the digits closed at predetermined spacings.

Two…

One…

Then, just as Mona was crossing halfway to the portrait, zero. With a loud metallic sound, the lights abruptly ceased. With almost prescripted certainty, Madarame's shadow began yelling about the lights.

Joker felt the change inside him. Still not fully comprehending it, all he understood was that it was a gift from Igor. The rather creepy, silent master of the velvet room. The occupants were now clearly visible to his eyes. Their forms outlined in light. Objects with more of a… presence, maybe, glowed strongly. Unimportant things like walls were nearly invisible. That it made it highly inconvenient to keep on, of course.

Using it now, Joker was able to keep an eye on Mona's progress. While they were still mulling about in the dark, Joker signalled Violet to reverse the cat's momentum. True to being a literal cat burglar, Mona grabbed the treasure with hardly a sound.

_The treasure?_

Feeling a chill down his neck, Joker felt like his instincts were screaming at him. Something was amiss here… But what? Mona was pulling up the treasure, Fox and Panther had evacuated and were on their way here…

"The treasure doesn't glow…?" Muttering to himself, the wrongness finally clicked. Why would the treasure not glow under this power? Essentially every important detail with a strong cognitive presence glowed under this special vision. For the treasure not to was… strange.

As the lights finally flicked back on, Joker waved at Violet to stop the hoisting. Rushing over, he cut Mona free with a few deft slashes.

"Once we get out of here, look at the treasure." Joker hissed to Mona. Turning around, he confirmed Fox and Panther dashing into the room out of breath. "No time," Joker whispered. Below, he could hear Madarame's freak out as he noticed the absent centerpiece. "Follow me."

This part of the escape plan was far less planned out. It had been a mistake to think they'd be able to leave through the front door after taking the treasure. However, they had actually managed to get the treasure without fighting for it, which was a first for them.

Somehow it always ended in a fight…

Getting a bad feeling about what was to come, Joker led them across the rafter beams to a strange portal. Familiar with where these led, Joker didn't hesitate before diving in. As he expected, he ended up in that strange golden world of Madarame's.

A couple of twists later, and the exit was in sight. Running once more into that eerie blue light, Joker found himself on a lawn. The blocked off staircases from the barrier was where he had come out. A little upset that they hadn't found this path earlier, Joker waved everyone to a halt.

"Whoa! We actually did it!" Skull cheered. "Got the treasure and got out quick!"

"Don't celebrate too quickly," Joker warned him. "Mona do it."

"Treasure! Treasure!" With the excited yell of a feline on catnip, Mona dove at the wrapped painting and quickly stripped it off. Underneath…

"It's a fake…" Joker muttered. At the same time, poles were rising from the ground. Familiar with their capabilities, Joker shouted at his party. "Get back!"

With flawless execution they all escaped the cage of lightning that was emitted from the four metallic poles. Sensing their approach, Joker turned to look at a confident Madarame flanked by two powerful looking shadows. Between them, they carried another picture frame, the same size as the one they'd discarded. This one, however, was covered by a more elaborate velvet sheet.

Just to make sure, Joker quickly activated his other vision. As the world faded away, Joker saw it. The amount of cognitive power that was wrapped up in the real treasure. Taking it as a lesson, Joker kicked the fake away.

The doodled face was a mockery of real art. Although, Joker was beginning to wonder if that was the limit of Madarame's skill after he let it decay for so long.

"Give us the real treasure." Joker declared strongly.

"Yeah, we'll even let you run away if you give it up in the next three seconds!" Skull warned, cracking his knuckle.

"Bah, incompetent thieves!" Madarame mocked them with his ridiculous get-up. "Did you really think me ignorant to your wiles?"

"Madarame…" Fox's voice was hard with hate. "It is time for you to confess. Hand over the treasure and leave."

"Why would I do that?" The shadow mocked. "That attitude of yours though… How like your mother you are. Especially given the fact that I'll get to watch you both die!"

"W-What did you say? What did you do to my mother!? Answer me!"

"Hehe, everyone knew how poor your mother's health was… In fact, she herself painted one last portrait of herself and her child before dying. I was there when it happened. She had a stroke.

"The scene was just so upsetting I forgot to call an ambulance. She died on the floor in front of me! You can't imagine the trauma… Nor the amount of money in pity purchases I received!"

Laughing, Madarame was almost bent double. Not a single shred of remorse showed on his face at his confession. Everyone stood stock still. Fox in particular looked stunned.

Joker spoke up, asking about a strange line in there. "What portrait? I hadn't heard of any."

"Ah, yes." Madarame continued, smiling nastily at them. Gesturing at the two shadows, he continued. "Be blessed thieves. For you shall be the only ones to know the secret of the _Sayuri_ 's expression!"

With a rip, the velvet cloth was removed, revealing the true portrait beneath. From the time spent in the palace, Joker was quite familiar with the painting by now. But this was… "A baby?"

"A portrait of her and her son…" Fox stammered. "That's… me?"

"Yes!" Madarame gloated. "When I saw it, I instantly knew it would be a hit! Cover up the child, and suddenly the reason for her expression is 'mysterious'. Critics eat that shit up!"

Joker struggled not to agree with the shadow. The original was beautiful. The modifications Madarame made were a flagrant disruption of the previous charm… But there was no way it would have ever been as popular. All the skill was from Yusuke's mother. But Madarame with nothing more than a slapdash of gray paint and some words turned it into something the art world would adore.

"You even stole your masterpiece?" Panther added on. "So, you never were any good in the first place, at least this clears that up. Still, what you did was sad!"

"Truly…" Fox spoke, his words carrying with a weight they'd all felt. The realization that this man had been a source of trauma and suffering his entire life, even before he knew it. "I had hoped that there would be some redemption for you in the end. However… this is the end for you… Sensei."

Without waited for Joker's orders, Fox drew his katana from its sheath. As he did so, Joker quickly called out names. "Mona, Violet, with me. Skull, Panther, rest up and wait to fight!"

"HAhahahAHAHAH!" Madarame's laughter became distorted as his body shifted. Joker remembered a similar scene from Kamoshida. How the volleyball star had morphed into a demon. Rather than a typical monster, Madarame's body became absorbed into his rapidly growing head. Once it reached critical mass, it split into four fragments. Each one framed in wood like a painting and containing a different part of a face. Two eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

"What fresh hell is this?" Skull complained, backing up to obey Joker's orders.

"Lots of different options here," Joker spoke quickly. "Try to maximize damage by using wide area persona abilities." Fumbling slightly over the second half, Joker acknowledged that they needed to formalize names for things. Every time it was a different combination of words. They needed an official way to distinguish between Panther's fire ability that hit one shadow versus the slightly weaker, easier to dodge one that had a chance to hit multiple.

Taking his own advice, Joker put on his trusty Jack Frost mask and bombarded the assembled pieces that composed Madarame with an ice skill.

_!?_

Blinking, Joker narrowed his eyes in confusion. Something strange had happened around the eyes. Neither piece had taken damage from his attack. Thankfully, the nose and mouth were injured. Wondering if they had dodged it, Joker watched anxiously as his party followed his example.

Wind, light, and even more ice bombarded the four pieces. In the wake of their assault, the mouth was left drooping, nearly dead. The other three, meanwhile, were in a state between injury and health. To Joker's vision, the two eyes seemed to have _recovered_ when struck by ice and wind. The nose, on the other hand recovered when struck by Sumire's light. The different pieces were literally draining their persona's attacks.

"Careful with your attacks from now on!" Joker called out. "I'll finish the mouth with magic, try physical moves next… Shit!"

Cutting himself off, Joker struggled to sidestep as the mouth suddenly lunged at him, its attack boosted to the max by one of the eyes' ability.

"AH!"

Quickly looking over, Joker just caught the tail end of Sumire turning black. It seemed she dodged a gout of fire from the nose, but the second eye caught her with an attack. She was an unnatural black now. Absorbing all light that struck her. _All light…_

"Guard, Violet!" Calling out to her, Joker wasn't risking her falling prey to some strange technique that Madarame had yet to fully reveal. "Come, Jack Frost!"

Summoning the little snowman once again, Joker directed its ice solely at Madarame's mouth. With a groan, the painting collapsed to the ground. As it settled, the other three still active ones had no visible reaction to the change. They'd need to defeat all four of them to do anything; most likely.

"Heh, now is your downfall, Madarame!" Fox roared as he rushed forward. His blade was a blur in his hands. The katana ripping a line straight through the middle of the nose and back.

As Fox retreated, the nose made strange jerking movements, but besides that appeared fine. The blows that should have bisected it doing far less in this cognitive world. What it did do, however, was make contact. If their attacks would land, they could do this.

"My turn then!" Following in Fox's footsteps, Mona repeated the attack on the nose with his scimitar. The curved blade stealing a large portion of the shadow's stamina with each swing.

As those two's attacks ended, the nose was dropping with a lack of life. It had only drained Violet's attack meaning it had suffered a high number of hits up to this point. Still, the shadow portraits made no effort of trying to surrender or run away.

With an inevitable gaze, the left eye lowered Violet's defences. Growing even more nervous now, Joker watched as the right eye lowered its gaze to the floor. Emitting a small portion of healing light, the mouth rose once again.

"They can revive each other…"

"So, it would seem." Grim words exchanged, they waited as the last two pieces turned toward Violet. The girl unable to do much but continue to guard herself.

"Gruhh!" Letting out a strange noise, the nose blew a cone of ice at Violet. The guard worked its job well, only a sliver of damage inflicted. However, the move's true purpose appeared to break the defensive posture.

Having recently risen, the mouth was still in bad shape. Barely more than a single attack away from falling. Its strength was undiminished as it rushed for Violet.

"AHH!"

Heart in mouth, Joker could only watch stunned as the jaws bit down on her black form. The teeth ripping through her persona's resistances with the help of the black paint. Without another whimper, her from collapsed to the ground.

"Violet!"

"Hold position!" Joker screamed at them. "Bring it down!" Hating himself even as he said the words, Joker followed his own advice. Firing off another wide area ice spell, both the mouth and the nose succumbed to the damage. With two down, they could win this.

With fire in their eyes, Yusuke and Mona teamed up, using their persona physical attacks to bring down the left eye entirely.

In Joker's estimation, this fight was over. There was no way that the one eye, with a single move could undo the damage they had dealt. Therefore, the more pressing issue was Violet. Joker was unable to check on her condition currently. If only there was someone free who could…

Wanting to hit himself, Joker shouted orders as the eye brought the mouth back once again. "Skull, Panther, check up on Violet, see if you can get her moving again!"

Meanwhile, the revived mouth was still drooping from a lack of stamina as it charged forward and bit at Fox. Thankfully, the nimble boy managed to sidestep the projected attack at the last moment.

"Nice one, Fox!" Mona congratulated him.

"Indeed!" Joker echoed him, "now, let's finish this!" Blowing through the extra mind, Joker used a coordinated ice skill to defeat the mouth for a third time. That revival was beginning to grate on him. Joker could feel the hole that the magic uses had left behind in his mind. He was good for awhile more, but continuous spells were beginning to take their toll.

"Yargh!" Yelling their determination, Mona and Yusuke teamed up once again to down the final eye. As the dust on their attacks settled, all pieces had been defeated. Each one lying broken on the ground.

Before Joker's disbelieving eyes, the individual pieces began to melt. Each one turning into the same viscous black substance that they had coated Violet with. After a moment, the shadow Madarame coagulated. While he looks haggard from the previous fight, his stamina seemed to be unaffected.

It was almost unfair, but Joker got the feeling that the painting morphing was a one-time thing. Clearly though, the fight was far from over.

Madarame glared at them with hate in his eyes. "Insufferable ruffians. My duplicates will make short work of you!" Throwing something at the ground, a cloud of smoke appeared, masking the shadow. After a moment it faded, leaving five Madarames.

"…" Saying nothing, Joker was stunned by how obvious it was. There was still the normal Madarame present where he had been standing. Around him were duplicates in different coloured robes: red, green, blue, and yellow.

"What devilry is this?" Fox spat. "I should have known you'd hide behind illusions!"

"Illusions?" Madarame cackled. "That's all the worth of a painting is! An illusion! You know what is real? The hundred-million-yen penthouse that I own under my mistress' name!"

"RARGH!" Bellowing with rage, Yusuke shot forward at the shadow. His blade a blur as he bisected the central figure time and time again. Yet, as Yusuke retreated panting, shadow Madarame was still glaring hauntingly at them all. They wouldn't be ending this fight anytime soon.

"Calm down Fox!" Joker snapped. "You two, how is Violet doing? Mona, focus on healing, Fox, let's try to hit all of them with attacks."

Bracing himself to drain even more of his mental energy, Joker reached inside and pulled out that adorable mascot once more. Twirling around once, a storm of ice blanketed each one of the five Madarames.

"Ah, shit." There was no time to dodge. Still stuck in the energy it took to summon such an attack, Joker couldn't dodge as some of it rushed back at him. The damage was reduced due to his persona's resistance to ice, but the two separate hits still took a portion of his stamina with them.

At the same time Joker was stumbling from the reflected blows, the red Madarame screamed in pain and collapsed to the ground, the yellow one and the main shadow were staggering from a hit but not displaying the same weakness. That meant the blue and green ones were the Madarames that reflected his attack.

Brain working overtime, Joker knew there was a pattern here. Something in the colours. Still, he was having trouble seeing it. Reaching into his pockets, Joker quickly swallowed down a little teardrop like thing. If he had to name it, it would be some sort of soul. With the strange extra sense that he'd been granted, Joker knew that the mysterious item would regenerate his mental capacity. Something that was severely lacking after the amount of spells he'd casted at this point. Or… that his persona had used?

Joker still struggled to separate where the actual power was coming from. The two of them were inexorably linked in a way that he couldn't fully comprehend.

"J-Joker!" Fox asked. "What should I…"

"Attack the downed one!" Unfortunately, the wide area attack plan wouldn't work. Not with Fox possessing the same ice type attack that Joker had utilized.

Fox's attack made the red caped one even weaker, its stamina teetering on the edge from the dual attacks targeting its weakness. However, there were still four opponents staring them down in healthy condition. Mona let out a wave of healing that helped disperse some damage that the three of them had taken.

"We need more people…" Muttering to himself, Joker could only attempt to endure as the five Madarames turned their attacks on them.

One after another, fire, ice, lightning, and wind fell. Then, to cap off the storm of damage, the central Madarame used some move that struck all of them. The aura it gave off gave Joker feelings of something divine. A move that nothing could negate nor resist.

Hand shaking slightly, Joker saw few options remaining. The barrage of attacks had been simply too much to take. Another round of that would be the end of them all.

Swallowing, Joker dispersed the budding fear.

"Thin their numbers!" Pasting on his daredevil smile, Joker winked at the other thieves. Diving in, he utilized the singular ice attack to bring the red Madarame down. Its form dispersing into smoke. While it was an illusion, taking it out reduced the real Madarame's damage.

With the opening left from striking a weakness, Joker flipped masks and utilized a second persona. "Orthrus!" Bringing forth the twin-headed dog persona, Joker fixed his eyes upon the blue-robed Madarame and prayed that he was correct.

"GAH!"

One gout of flame and a pained scream later, Joker smiled confidently. Madarame had told them his own weakness. "Coming to you Mona! Hit the yellow one with your wind!"

"You got it!" Getting tagged in, Mona's wind was a giant burst that cut heavily into the yellow shadow's aura. Its screamed drowned out by the hurricane of sound that the magic produced.

"Give it to Yusuke and target the main Madarame!"

Once again, they did as Joker ordered. Watching the hastily composed plan take shape, he couldn't help but smirk in confidence. Staring down the main shadow who was now looking into the eyes of a heavily powered-up Fox, Joker watched as his gloating smirk faded into a mask of uncertainty. Not fear, yet.

"Skull! Can you get the green one with your magic?"

"Yo, I've been waiting for this!"

One yell later, a lightning bolt and a scream following, all three of the remaining fakes were on the ground and the main Madarame was struggling to recover.

"Don't think… You've won…" Pulling himself together, all three of the remaining fakes rose as one. Their expressions mirrors of hate. With a creepy synchronicity, each one looked at the person that had felled it.

Shivering from the implications, Joker readied himself to dodge. As he had predicted, a stream of ice shot from the shadow's hand toward him. Only Joker's preparation stopped the attack from landing. None of the others were quite as lucky. Even Skull at the back was struck by a lucky gust of wind.

Across from them, the main Madarame's skill landed. The orbs of almighty power tearing away more of their precious stamina.

Gritting his teeth against the sensation, Joker wondered if they should try to flee. Yes, an accusation of breaking and entering from Madarame would leave him in juvenile detention for a long time… But it was better than his friends dying.

"Come… Jeanne!" With a weak cough, the words were hard to make out. Spinning around, Joker stared unbelievingly at Violet. The girl's eyes were locked upon him as her persona fluttered to life before her, as majestic as always. "We… Can do this."

Hesitating only a moment, Joker nodded. The healing light restored some of their stamina. Using it as a buffer between death, Joker fearlessly summoned forth Orthrus once more. Its fire blast attack melting the blue Madarame who sank into oblivion.

Once more, as they chained attacks together, the duplicates fell one after another. Weaknesses exposed; they were taken out.

In a moment, the main Madarame was standing alone, defenseless, Fox's blade threatening to tear him apart. "Do it." Joker ordered mercilessly. He still doubted that the shadow would give up quite so quickly

"I didn't come to kill you…" Fox spoke. "Just give us the treasure."

"No! He's not…"

Joker's words were pointless as Madarame waved his hands creating another four duplicates. This time though, there were only two colours. Two green and two yellow. The lack of different Madarame's was both a blessing and a curse. While their attack diversity was decreased, it would be harder for them to chain together attacks on their weaknesses.

"Ah… My apologies Joker…" Fox blushed awkwardly.

"The shadow will never surrender until its stamina gets wholly decreased!" Joker yelled at him. "As long as it has energy, it will believe it can win!

"Rampage, Oni!" Switching personas on the fly, Joker changed from magical to physical attacks. The brute force method striking out at all five opponents. This time, there was no reflection, or other negation of the damage. However, the damage dealt was less than a magical blow to their weaknesses.

Mona struck at the two yellow Madarames with his wind magic. As he got ready for a third attack against the main one, Joker cut him off. "No, guard!"

The fight was proceeding too quickly for Joker to manage every aspect. He _needed_ someone who could provide tactics from the back. A strategist who would fix their stupid mistakes without Joker pointing them out. If Mona had attacked, he would have been left open to a dual lightning strike that surely would have removed the final remnants of his stamina.

After Mona, Skull followed up with a pair of lightning strikes of his own. With that, all four of the duplicates were down, their weaknesses struck on top of the damage that Joker had dealt. Still… it wasn't enough. Joker was worried what would happen when they got back…

"Dance Carmen!"

"No! Panther!" Heart in throat, Joker could do nothing as her magic ripped into all five Madarames. The two yellow ones reflected the move, the flames tearing back into the delicate girl that had called them forth. Panther coughed weakly as she bent over, the damage carving a huge chunk of her stamina away. The only reason she still stood was that it was the first attack she had taken. It was evidence of the power of her magic.

On the same token, the two felled green Madarames dispersed into ash. They had been defeated before they got a single move off. As impressive as the display was, Joker wondered if that was the norm they'd have to keep up if they wanted to defeat Madarame.

"I… can't… get shown up like this!"

"V-Violet?" Stammering her name, Joker watched amazed as the injured girl staggered up to his side.

"Don't worry Senpai… I will never let you fight without me."

"I…" Caught off guard by the display, Joker was reminded again of the girls extraordinary will. She was a force of nature when she wanted to be. Her dazzlingly bright outfit was truly reminiscent of her latent potential. A potential that Joker still forgot about all too often when she'd blush and stammer in response to simple questions.

"Purify them, Jeanne!"

With a call, the armoured maiden shimmered to life once more and brought with her holy light that sprayed across the remaining three figures. The lower magical power left the two yellow Madarames alive with a sliver of stamina. Neither of them looked like they had any capacity to fight.

Still, they picked themselves up as a battered central Madarame looked back and forth between his reinforcements and the six opponents that had lined up to face him. The cockiness was long gone from his face, but for the first time, a sliver of fear appeared there too.

"This… It isn't fair! You shouldn't be able to have so many people attacking!"

"This isn't a game," Joker berated the shadow. "Let's end this."

"Fine," Madarame spat in return. "DIE!"

Crying out, once more that attack washed over Joker's body. Wincing from the brunt of it, he was more concerned with Violet. The girl looked seconds away from toppling. Yet, through sheer force of will, she stood. Even if she did so by leaning upon her rapier.

As nobody fell before the attack, two errant lightning blasts bombarded them. One hit Skull, the other rattled pathetically against the already badly scorched grass.

Raising his gun, Joker disposed of the two yellow Madarames with a single shot each. The bullets landing between their eyes. A small whimper emerging from each as they collapsed into nothingness. With no more words, Joker turned the gun to Madarame. "No. You will die."

Pulling the trigger another six times, a hail of bullets peppered the lone figure. Whether mimicking him or it being the best idea, the other five raised their guns and rained hell down upon the last figure.

After the cacophony of gun shouts that rang out, the silence following was eerie. Only a soft clink as a final shell bounced lightly against the garden path.

"Guh… I can still… I can… Win…" The shadow looked pathetic. With almost no stamina remaining, he spread his arms, calling forth another four fake Madarames. There were once again four different colours. It didn't matter though. These were illusions whose power were tied to the central figure's.

Flipping his knife, Joker strode forward to finish him off.

"No, let me." Holding up an arm to stop him, Fox strode forward alone. "This is goodbye Sensei." It seemed like the boy wanted to say more but didn't hesitate in his swing. The singular slice stealing the final fragment of power that the shadow possessed.

"GAAHHH!" Collapsing to the ground, the shadow raised its arms to the sky, the fakes collapsing into nothingness as well. After a moment, Joker could sense the shift. The time when the demonic power fled, leaving behind only a man that a singular bullet could take out.

"Is that… Is that you… Yusuke?"

"…What is this, Joker?" Fox asked, his voice hard.

Joker struggled to answer. The situation with the principal had been highly irregular. Events in the real world had affected the fight and changed the principal's cognition. This was more similar to the fight with Kamoshida.

"After vanquishing the shadow's power, they seem to be more susceptible to talking. The inner feelings that they had long ago finally have a chance to shine through."

"I see…" Then Fox's voice hardened once again. "What you did to my mother's painting, to the _Sayuri_ was unforgivable. However… You still took me, an orphan in. Taught me what I wanted to know. All before you ever knew I'd be a painter… Was that out of guilt?"

"I… I don't know." The shadow answered honestly. "At this point, I doubt it matters. While you are here, fooling around at playing hero, there is someone exploiting the metaverse to its full potential."

"What?" Mona broke in at this point. "That's impossible!"

"Haha, doubt me if you want." The shadow laughed, a weak sneer coming back to his face. "But beware the man in a black mask. You aren't nearly as powerful as you think you are."

"It's time to go," Joker ordered. Coldly walking past the shadow, he grabbed the treasure. The painting of the real _Sayuri_ that somehow remained untouched.

"Yes…" Fox agreed. "Goodbye… and thank you."

Joker didn't comment on the mirage of tears as they ran. They had accomplished what they had come for. Tomorrow, they would know if it was enough.

* * *

_Part 2: A not so unexpected meeting_

_Monday June 6_ _th_ _20XX After school_

"Urgh…" Groaning to herself, Kasumi discontent came not from the amazing degree with which she bent her body. Instead, it was from the well-dressed boy who was lounging comfortably on a nearby park bench.

Not helping the situation was the weather. Whereas Akechi sat comfortably under his umbrella, it continued to pour down upon Kasumi, who was stretching. As a result, the fairly popular park was all but abandoned. Only a few solitary old people braved the weather to walk the park path.

"So, you have received confirmation that this… Amamiya Ren will be attending the trip to the TV station?"

"Yes," Kasumi answered, continuing through the motions. Still, she struggled to stay composed. Yesterday's news conference had been playing on repeat within her head. How that painter, Madarame Ichiryusai, had looked, tears streaking down his face as he tearfully apologized. The conference had sent a visceral chill down Kasumi's spine. A chill that was returning as she tried to stretch.

The spring rain was warm, and Kasumi didn't fear developing a cold, or her muscles straining due to it. Yet, the wetness of the rain clung to her, Akechi's presence doing nothing to beat back the feeling.

"I see, very good." Akechi nodded sharply. "It also looks like your training is going well."

Catching Akechi's pointed nod at her convoluted form, Kasumi stuck out her tongue at him.

"If I may ask, what prop do you specialize in?"

"W-What!?" Blown away by the question, Kasumi gaped at the detective. His face hadn't changed expression at all. As if asking was as normal as commenting on the weather. "How do you know about that?"

"How? I got curious one day and did a five-minute internet search."

"I see…" The explanation made sense, it really did, and it helped Kasumi avoid thinking about the phantom thieves' most recent takedown. "Well, none yet. At my level, we're expected to be able to use all of them: Ribbon, ball, clubs, and the hoop."

"Hmm, wasn't there a fifth?"

_Does he… actually care?_

Kasumi couldn't be certain. Akechi was hard to read at the best of times. While stretching, shaken over yesterday's news, and now sopping wet, Kasumi had to admit she was having trouble focussing. "The rope was banned again. It seems unlikely it will make a comeback."

"Ah interesting. Still, you must have favored props, yes?"

"…I've always enjoyed the clubs. My sister, meanwhile, is more a ribbon girl. Her swirls with it are fantastic."

"Hmm, fascinating."

Once again, Akechi spoke the words in such a way that Kasumi could never be sure if he was being sarcastic or not. Standing up, Kasumi decided she had enough of this rain stretching. She was starting to feel cold. Returning to the bench, she blanketed her body with her dry coat and used the umbrella to keep water off herself.

"Is it?" She asked Akechi. "I mean… Are you…"

"Am I what?" Akechi asked again, his face betraying little emotion. Once again, the parallels between him and Ren Senpai were eerie. They could both manage that neutral expression which defied her ability to read them.

"Nothing. I'm always happy to talk gymnastics! Was there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Not right now. I'm sure I'll have more after watching you perform."

"W-Wha…" Stumbling, Kasumi could only gape as Akechi nonchalantly continued walking. Growling, Kasumi ran to catch up. Getting in front of him, she turned around and walked backward so that she could stare at him. "W-What do you mean, watch me perform?"

"I want to know," Akechi answered simply, never breaking contact. "What drove you so far to reclaim your ability to compete. I need to see how much you care about the life you've won back."

"I… I see…" Stepping away, Kasumi resumed her location half a step back. They had met because Akechi said he wanted to discuss something. Kasumi had told him she was going to the park to train. He could either meet her there or not.

"Do you…?"

"What did you say?" Kasumi asked. It was hard to hear Akechi when his back was to her. The pounding rain did nothing to help either.

"It's nothing," he spoke louder, "you saw the news yesterday?"

_The one thing I didn't want to talk about._ "Yes, of course." Kasumi laced her words with a hard irony, hoping the displeasure in them would make Akechi drop it.

"Good, then I won't have to explain what happened."

_Of course he didn't…_

"Before I continue any further, I need to know, do you believe that what the phantom thieves did was right?"

Kasumi bowed her head. That was probably the main reason she didn't want to think about it. She had allowed Sumire to talk her into posting on their website asking them to target the principal. While nothing had happened from it, Kasumi still couldn't imagine what she would have felt like being forced to watch the principal of all people breaking down in front of the school. Admitting to blackmailing her. She had turned to these people to fix her problems, so did she have any right to condemn them for targeting someone else?

With this storm raging within, Kasumi generated a weak answer for Akechi. "I don't think I can say at this time."

"Tch, you are better than that. Give me an answer you believe in."

Kasumi sighed at the boy's angry outburst. Akechi was right: Kasumi was better than that. "I felt the same way this time as watching Kamoshida's confession. It was unnatural and terrifying. No one should possess the power to make someone do that."

"I agree," Akechi nodded strongly. "If you can't remain true to yourself, then you aren't even a person. Merely a machine that they tune to sing whatever song they want you to."

Kasumi wasn't surprised by Akechi's answer. He had said much the same thing during the interview they had done together. Still, one thing about it sat strangely with Kasumi. "I just don't understand how the police hadn't arrested that artist already. I mean, a bunch of people must have known what he was doing!"

This time, Akechi's face went hard. His eyes blazed with a righteous fury. Staring at his side-profile, the boy briefly resembled some sort of divine avenger.

"And who were the victims of his crimes? Witless magnates, purchasing fakes. Aside from them, just the children getting stolen from. No one would believe the word of a child over a respected adult."

"Akechi…" Muttering the boy's name, Kasumi felt a repressed anger emerging. It was perhaps one of the few times Kasumi had seen his true emotions. Emboldened by the display, Kasumi reached out and laid a hand on his upper arm. "Hey, that's what you're here for. You help out people like me. Like those students that were taken advantage of."

Akechi snorted, jerking his shoulder away from the contact. "If any of them were like you, Madarame would have been put behind bars the legal way."

"Legal way?" Kasumi asked. "What do you mean?"

"To put it bluntly, it's hard to convincingly say that these men whom have had, 'changes of heart', actually deserve to be in jail. From a certain perspective… they're nothing more than victims. Er, well they would be if other testimonies hadn't confirmed that they have broken the law."

Kasumi nodded in understanding to the words. Neither of them felt that either of the men that had confessed so far deserved to go free. At the same time, they couldn't agree with this change in personality. "You're saying… These confessions mean nothing?"

"Mostly," Akechi nodded. "This is new ground, so the laws surrounding the indictment aren't fully fleshed out. Notably, however, is that a confession given under duress isn't a true confession. Therefore, if we conclude that what the phantom thieves have done to these men puts them under duress, then they cannot be tried for what they say."

"Only other evidence," Kasumi nods along, thinking about the strange subject that somehow had quickly become commonplace in her life. "I think that's smart. If they can make an innocent confess to a crime they didn't commit, then that law should protect them."

"Oh? You doubt their morals?" Stopping, Akechi turned and stared at Kasumi with mirthful eyes. "You don't think these 'heroes of justice' are all they are cracked up to be?"

"I…" For not the first time, Kasumi found herself unable to meet Akechi's eyes. Gaze lowering, she tracked a stream of rainwater as it wound its way closer to the sewer grate. "I guess their power just scares me. I don't want to change into a different person. I understand what they are doing. In a way, I'm even thankful for it…"

"But?"

"But I wish they weren't necessary!" Kasumi exploded. Kicking the water away she felt an irrational surge of anger. "If the police were better at their jobs, then these people would have already been arrested!"

"Understandable…" Akechi muttered. "Corruption exists everywhere nowadays."

"That's not true," Kasumi smiled gently at the boy detective. "You aren't."

"…" Rather than returning the expression, Akechi seemed to wince slightly before sighing heavily. "I hope so… You aren't either by the way."

As conversation lulled between them, Kasumi kept walking side-by-side with the detective. Their footsteps fell in sync. Outside, then inside as if they were a reflection of each other. Losing herself in the little minigame she played, Kasumi's gait was forced to match Akechi's. Her strides unnaturally lengthened to keep up with the taller boy.

"Having fun, are you?"

Giggling slightly at the dry tone in his voice, Kasumi didn't stop matching his steps. "I'm surprised you noticed."

"How could I not? You are practically lunging with each step."

"Am not! You're just a little taller than me!" Kasumi received an audible snort in response. Looking up at him, she was forced to admit that the detective had at least half a head on her. It was usually not so apparent as they typically sat when meeting in person. Whether at a café, or Akechi's house as they had done the week before last.

Still, with her declaration made, Kasumi couldn't let up on her mimicry. Using the extraordinary calf strength she had built up, Kasumi's tiptoes allowed her more easy match him. The additional height increasing her natural stride length.

"Sometimes I forget how… silly you can be."

"Hmm… It sounded like you wanted to use a different word." Kasumi accused the detective.

"I wouldn't want to strain our camaraderie," Akechi smirked. "Especially with how useful you've been recently."

"Useful?" Muttering to herself, Kasumi realized she had never gotten a reason as to why Akechi wanted Ren Senpai to go to the television station. Giving words to her thoughts, Kasumi waited for an answer.

"Why, hmm? What would you say if I told you that was on a need-to-know basis?"

"Bullshit." Kasumi answered immediately. She was proud of much easier swear words dropped from her mouth nowadays. Being around Akechi usually gave her an excuse to use at least a couple.

The boy shrugged in defeat. The gesture still looking refined within his expensive suit. "You got me there. You see, I'm talking on that Friday show Shujin students are attending. I'd heard that he was singled out by Mr. Kamoshida. I simply wanted the chance to meet him."

Kasumi felt a minor surge of elation. The reason was almost exactly what she had predicted it would be. She was also glad that there was no nefarious purpose here. Despite her initial misgivings about the coarse detective, he had turned out to be trustworthy. "So… This is the end of our deal then?"

"Don't sound so sad," Akechi smirked at her.

Blushing slightly from being called out, Kasumi realized that she would be sad to never talk to the detective again. He was unique and challenged her in new ways. She knew for a fact that she was more mature now because of his influence.

"No, I said I would need you to do _things_ around your school for me. This was a single _thing._ You haven't fulfilled your side of the bargain quite yet."

"Hmpf!" Kasumi did her best to pull off an imperious flare of her hair. "Fine. But don't think that you can string me along forever!"

"I wouldn't _dream_ of it."

"…?" Looking at Akechi, Kasumi struggled to not frown. It was at times like these when he would say a normal response… but the delivery would be wrong. As if there was a hidden meaning that Kasumi was missing. For not the first time, Kasumi felt a chill down her spine. Shrugging it off as the rain, Kasumi tried to keep her smile intact until they split at the station.

* * *

_Tuesday June 7_ _th_ _20XX Evening_

"I'm home…"

Muttering out loud, Sumire didn't receive an answer and didn't expect one. Her training had been shorter today, which she appreciated. It was one of those days where it was hard to muster the energy to do anything.

That didn't shrink the long list of tasks that she had to do. Sumire had to get started on supper. By the time she was finished, everyone else should arrive back as well. After supper, Sumire would have to clean the meal up. Then, there were a bunch of minor cleaning tasks she had neglected this weekend. Once cleaning was done, Sumire had a pile of homework to start on.

"Maybe… a ten-minute nap?"

Groaning at the clock that read a little past five in the evening, Sumire knew she didn't have time for that. Besides, if she laid down, she would lose any motivation she had. Right now, she moved primarily off inertia. She kept moving simply because she had already started.

Receiving a bunch of pots and other tools that she would need to make the meal, Sumire found the small slip of paper from her bag and unfolded it on the counter. She had written it out during lunch today at school.

She had just finished when her phone had shut off and wouldn't turn back on. It was getting worse and worse lately. Grabbing the charger that Sumire now carried with her to school, she jammed it into the wall and waited for the icon to flash up. Eventually it did.

Scowling at it, the issues with the phone had only exacerbated her bad mood. Not been the source of it. Preparing supper gave her too much time to think as thoughts of the last two days of class came back to her.

News of Madarame and the phantom thieves' involvement had spread like wildfire. Everyone in the school had seen the interview by now. Not just the confession, but stupid meme videos where they had edited together the crying and broken words on repeat with flashy effects. They had taken the man's heartfelt confession and made a mockery of it.

The realization that they were no more than a humorous joke to most people was humiliating. Sumire had to struggle not to lash out at people all day. All the pride she had felt watching on Sunday had disappeared quickly. As it disappeared, Sumire kept relieving Saturday.

The disgracefulness with which she had performed when Madarame fought them. If she had just failed to help, it wouldn't have hurt so much. But Sumire had hindered Senpai. She had gone and made an easy fight into a challenging one as Ann and Ryuji had spent most of it taking care of her.

Assaulted by disgrace on all sides, Sumire was struggling to get through the day. "Tomorrow will be better, tomorrow will be better…" Trying to convince herself of that, Sumire continued to mechanically move through the actions.

Part of her tried to get excited for cooking. She liked the skill. Cooking was fun. Today though… Sumire just couldn't get motivated for it. The knife in her hand rose and fell slowly as she chopped vegetables. Slow enough that she'd be delaying supper.

Wrapped up in her thoughts, Sumire missed the door opening. Setting the knife down, Sumire removed her glasses and rubbed her face. Letting out another heavy sigh, she muttered to herself, "maybe just five minutes…"

"What's eating ya, sis?"

"AH!" Screaming, Sumire spun around. Missing her footing on the tile floor, she crashed to the ground, her head colliding solidly with the with the cabinets behind her. "Oww!"

"Ouch," Kasumi agreed sympathetically. Kneeling down to Sumire's height, Kasumi tilted her head quizzically. "So, what's wrong?"

"Why does something have to be wrong?" Sumire sulked, holding her head with her hands. Trying to blink back tears, she glared at an unhelpful Kasumi. "And since when do you enter the house without saying anything?"

"I did," Kasumi answered with a raised. "Come on, let's get you up." Extending a hand, Kasumi waited expectantly.

Looking at it, Sumire pursed her lips, unsure if she wanted to take it. She was feeling particularly petty today.

"Oh, just grab it," Kasumi sighed, rolling her eyes. "Then I'll help you with supper while you tell me what's going on."

"Fine." Grabbing the appendage, Sumire easily ascended back into a standing position. Rubbing her behind for a moment, she stared suspiciously at her sister. "Why would you offer to help with supper? You hate cooking."

"Yes, but I hate going hungry more, which is what will happen if I don't help."

"Ugh, fine. Chop these." Sliding the unfinished vegetables over to Kasumi, Sumire set about gathering the rest of the ingredients that she would need. As usual, they had all gone shopping together on Sunday morning before the interview. As such, their pantry and fridge were still stocked with a variety of ingredients. Grabbing what she needed, Sumire set out to make the sauce.

"Well?" Kasumi pressured.

"Your chopping needs practice," was Sumire's only comment. The horribly uneven pieces made her want to push Kasumi aside and to it herself. One look at the clock told her she didn't have time for that.

"Imma chop you up if you don't start talking," Kasumi threatened, waving the knife at Sumire.

"You shouldn't do that," was her sulky answer. "It's bad kitchen practice to lose control of your implements."

"I swear you are being worse than Akechi right now!" Kasumi growled. "Just tell me what happened!"

"Fine!" Throwing the recipe back onto the counter Sumire stalked over to the table where she collapsed, burying her head in her arms. "I hate this… I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!"

"Now, now…"

With her head buried in her hands, Sumire felt Kasumi's hands on her shoulders. They made rubbing motions, trying to soothe away the knots that lay there.

"Now tell me, who do you hate?"

"The school… Everyone…" Deep down, Sumire knew she was acting like a child. But at the same time, having Kasumi console her, as if the rift that appeared between them had never been, was delightful. For the first time in a long time, Sumire could just sit here and complain, letting her big sister deal with everything.

"Hmm? Are people making fun of you?" Kasumi's voice held a dangerous edge to it.

Sumire smiled slightly thinking about what she would do to them if Sumire said yes. Shaking her head, she clarified. "Not me. Have you seen… the news conference from Sunday?" The question but rhetorical, but Kasumi sent an audible affirmation as well. "Why are they so mean? So callous? He… He apologized! He's trying to do better now… So why…?"

"Haha, that's my sister for you…"

"W-What do you mean?" Sitting up, Sumire turned her head so that she could stare into Kasumi's warm brown eyes. She was still wearing that half smile where it was so hard to tell if she was laughing at you or with you. Usually, it was some mixture of both.

"I'm just saying, you're the type of person who would feel bad for the villain of the story."

"V-Villain?"

"Think about it," Kasumi commanded, taking the seat next to her. Holding her hand, Kasumi wouldn't let Sumire's gaze wander from hers. "The man is admitting to stealing and abusing from people no older than you or me. The very piece that made him famous was plagiarized for crying out loud! Most people would claim he deserves the criticism and mockery."

"I…" Sumire agreed with Kasumi's words. It did make sense. She personally knew some of the victims from Madarame's crimes. So why…? Was it simply because of how Yusuke had looked as they dashed away with the treasure? Was it the sorrow in his eyes as he took one final look back at all that was left of the man he had once looked up to? Had he been dreaming of what may have been if Madarame's heart had never become distorted?

Yes, that was the answer Sumire arrived at. These distortions that they were correcting. Where were they coming from? Why were people who would normally do nothing even close to these crimes become this way?

"I just want to see justice done to him. A civilized country shouldn't belittle its citizens that fall off the path but seek to restore them."

"Eww, are you quoting something at me?" Kasumi giggled. Upon seeing Sumire's stricken face, the mirth faded a little. "Hey, look. If it makes you feel better, I agree. He isn't a victim but… I'm not fond of these 'changes of heart'."

Perking up at the phrase, Sumire stuttered her answer. Hoping it was nonchalant enough. "W-What do you mean?"

Kasumi's face held only confusion in it. "What do you mean, what do I mean? Aren't you a Phanatic? Reading their site every night?"

"Urr… W-Well I mean, of course _I_ know what a change of heart is. B-But I was surprised to hear you using the term."

Sumire held Kasumi's face for a tense moment. Then her brown-haired sister sighed and looked away. The tension releasing inside her, Sumire watched as Kasumi returned to the abandoned counter.

"Come on, we need to finish supper."

"R-Right." Agreeing with her sister, Sumire meekly followed along, picking up where she had left off.

As she arrived at the counter, Kasumi turned to face her, knife in hand once more. Waving it before her nose, Kasumi delivered her warning.

"I'm not going to force you to tell me, but whatever it is you are doing, at least bring Ren along. He has a good head on his shoulders."

"G-Got it." Sumire held the expression just long enough until Kasumi turned back around. Afterwards, she couldn't contain the little smile that slipped through.

_Oh Kas, if only you knew._

* * *

_Wednesday June 8_ _th_ _20XX After school_

"This is stupid," Ren scolded Morgana as they walked slowly through the streets on Yongen-jaya. Pausing briefly, Joker pretended to look over some wares that were being sold in a second-hand store.

"Now now, it's just an experiment," the cat tried to soothe Ren's misgivings.

Joker frowned, turning slightly behind himself to glance at where Leblanc stood. The store would be open for hours longer. The plan wasn't extremely risky… It just made Ren feel guilty.

"Oh, hey, buy those! They're just like the ones we found in mementos! We can craft tools with them."

"Fine." Biting the word off, Ren got the attention of the old man who was dozing in front of the wares. Ren probably could have just pocketed them, and no one would have been any the wiser. In fact, his metaverse self seemed disappointed as Ren handed over the thousand and so odd yen for a stack of identical trinkets.

Ren wondered for not the first time if he was spending too much time in the metaverse recently. The impulses to steal things, to test how well he could hide, they were bleeding over into his actions in the real world. Each conversation he had was now turning into an analysis of the various options. How should he act to best get the person to respond favourably to him?

Even right now, Ren could feel the multiple personalities swirling around in his mind. They didn't really change him as far as he could tell. Yet, by selecting one, he'd start to adapt some of its attributes. Right now, Ren needed the fortitude to not get lost in his thoughts. Therefore, he brought Oni to the front of his mind. The Strength persona had been a rock for him during the tail end of the Madarame fight.

"Are you ready?" Ren asked Morgana, pausing briefly to look at the vegetables on display. He needed to look like he was shopping, not making a beeline for the Sakura house.

"Give me two minutes." Leaving it there, the cat dashed off alone.

Standing by himself now, Ren enjoyed the sunshine beating down upon him. The last two days pf rain had begun to get monotonous. It was easy to forget exactly how bleak the rainy season could get at times.

After turning over a squash one final time, Ren nonchalantly walked over to the Sakura residence. The mysterious building he had only been inside of the once. However, that singular time had proven to be quite informative. Enough so, that Ren didn't see what exactly they would learn from this 'experiment' as Morgana called it.

As he walked past the gate, Ren rang the chime and kept going. He wasn't supposed to be loitering in front of the door. Exiting onto a road, Ren began to walk around the house. In short order, he found Morgana perched upon a windowsill.

"Anything?"

"No movement at all!" The cat complained, jumping down to land beside Ren. "They either can't hear the doorbell or have conditioned themselves to ignore it."

"Hmm…" Muttering over the information, Ren waited a couple seconds for Morgana to jump back into the bag before continuing to walk. Rather than going back right away, Ren thought he'd take the chance to see a little more of his surroundings. "Could it be that she's deaf?"

He thought the idea had merit. "If so, could be why she doesn't go to school. If Sojiro can't take her, then navigating the city without hearing can be risky."

"Maybe…" The cat agreed reluctantly. "But really? Hiding her away from the world because she can't hear? Doesn't that excuse seem a bit weak?"

"True…" Muttering, Ren simply couldn't understand it. _No one_ in Jongen knew anything about someone else living at the Sakura house. Together, they had ruled out that Sojiro was a kidnapper but… beyond that they couldn't make heads or tails of the situation.

"Hmm… May need to either lay the issue to rest or directly confront the boss about this."

Ren snorted at Morgana's suggestion. "Yeah, sure. Get kicked out of my one place to live? No thanks. There is one more option…"

"And what's that?" Morgana asked excited.

"You should temper your expectations." Ren advised. "An internet search."

"An inter…" The groan was practically pitiful. "I hate it that you're right."

"Come on," Ren joked with forced brevity. "Let's go do some mind-numbing research on my phone."

* * *

_Wednesday June 8_ _th_ _20XX Evening_

"Kill me now…" Moaning Ren let the phone fall from his hands as his head collapsed against the wooden table in his room. The time confirmed that he had only been at the task for two hours or so. Ren had never realized that there was a way to make time feel even longer than school. In fact, school passed so quickly some days, Ren wasn't sure he even remembered the classes at all…

This waste of time on the other hand, it consumed his thoughts with mind numbingly long pages that he carefully scanned through.

With Ren having given up, Morgana stood up and sauntered over to the screen. Then, with a distinctly un-catlike motion, began using his paws to navigate the browser. "Why not make some infiltration tools from that stuff we bought? I'll keep searching for something."

"Go for it," Ren groaned, forcing his body back up. As he started working on his first item, a lockpick, Ren found this task far easier to focus on. It was familiar, engaging, and most of all, important for the phantom thieves. Something he highly doubted this search was.

"Have you found anything so far?" Morgana asked.

"Not much, just what I told you before," Ren spoke. "Apparently, Sojiro used to be a government official. The savings from that job are probably all that keeps this café running and letting him maintain a fairly large house."

"Makes sense," Morgana nodded stiffly. "He never gets enough customers to break even, yet never complains about the lack of patronage."

"That was everything," Ren sighed. "No marriage, no affair that ended in pregnancy, no adoption papers; I'm stumped."

"Huh," Morgana muttered.

Receiving no further questions, Ren focused solely upon making the tools. A lockpick here, a smoke bomb there. He was starting to generate a nifty collection of items that could get them out in a pinch. At some point he needed to get Morgana to show him some of the battle items the cat had mentioned in passing. Being able to strike a shadow's weakness with an item could be extremely helpful in a pinch.

As Ren worked, his stomach growled at him. The break between lunch and supper was absurdly long for him. He had to wait until Sojiro was cleaning up to grab food. His other option was to slip out the back door and eat out. Even with the metaverse generating extra income for him, Ren wasn't nearly well enough off to splurge every night.

"We're going to the station tomorrow, yeah?" Morgana asked.

Ren nodded in answer.

"Aren't you excited? It will get you out of school."

"Meh," Ren shrugged, "I don't mind classes."

"Y-You don't… I don't have to do the homework and the classes still bore me to tears!"

Ren could only shrug. Last year he would have agreed with Morgana wholeheartedly. Now though… they just passed by in the blink of an eye.

"Weirdo…" Morgana muttered again. Then after a couple seconds of silence, Morgana spoke again. "Did you ever find out why Kasumi wanted you to do this?"

"She did?" Ren's memories of those days were more or less a constant stream of trying not to be embarrassed by her consistent comments. "I remember her asking, but that's about it."

"Hmm… She did a bit more than ask, but your right, it's probably nothing."

"It could have something to do with her dad," Ren suggested, the thought randomly popping into his mind. "He works at a TV station after all."

Morgana snorted at that. "And she what? Wanted to make sure you'd have something to talk to her dad about?"

"…"

"…"

Falling silent, Ren struggled to contain the heat that threatened to suffuse his cheeks.

"Ha!" Morgana laughed. "Though for herself or for her sister's sake I wonder."

Ren could only chuckle lightly. The explanation fit eerily well. It did, however, make him wonder if perhaps he had begun started thinking too highly of himself. Still, it would be dense to ignore the coincidence here. As Ren considered it more, Kasumi's words and expressions from that day rang more clearly through his head. She definitely had been relieved when he agreed to go to the station…

"Maybe I should get your advice. Sometimes I feel like Lady Ann has begun to think of me as a p…"

Pausing in the assembly, Ren turned to look at the cat. Morgana was frozen unnaturally over the screen. "What did you find?" Pushing the unfinished lump to the back of the desk, Ren leaned over to read over Morgana's shoulder. The words on the screen made his eyes bulge.

_Sakura Sojiro's primary role during employment was liaison to [Redacted] for the purpose of their research on [Redacted]._

Skipping down a few lines, Ren found perhaps the most important section of the document Morgana had managed to find.

_After the untimely demise of [Redacted], Mr. Sakura took custody of [Redacted]._

"So…" Speaking slowly, Ren scanned the government document one more time. He had no idea how Morgana even began to find something like this. Even with the redactions, it felt like something that should only be available to a strict few. "The girl… isn't Sojiro's?"

"Not so sure about that…" Morgana muttered. "Could have been a… side effect of his job as their liaison."

"That would be assuming the person is a woman _and_ that Sojiro broke professional boundaries with her. Neither of which are implied here."

"Why else would he take their daughter in though?" Morgana huffed.

"Why'd he take me in?" Ren retorted.

"Ha, he treats the two of you quite differently though." Morgana countered.

Ren had to nod his acceptance at that point. Reading for a moment more, he collapsed back to the desk. The document had managed to tell them so much and so little all at the same time. It was incredibly frustrating. "So, where did you find this thing?"

"This? I requested the file from the government website." Morgana explained.

"You did what!?" Shooting up, Ren glared at the cat. "And what do you think is going to happen to me when they call Sojiro to tell him that a random person requested his old government file!?"

"Relax," Morgana waved a paw. "These files are made public property after a certain time. They remove all the sensitive information anyway. If was important, they wouldn't have given it to us immediately, would they have?"

"Maybe…" Muttering, Ren tried to control the fear that had risen. It wasn't as if Morgana had broken through a security wall to retrieve it. Searching for things on the internet was perfectly legal.

Convincing himself of that, Ren picked up the ball again. So much closer to discovering the mysteries his guardian had hidden from him, and at the same time, no closer at all.

* * *

_Friday June 10_ _th_ _20XX Afternoon_

Sitting down in one of the hard chairs, it was only the uncomfortable plastic that was keeping Ren awake. The past two days of visiting the station had so far been unbearable. Even sitting in a classroom would have been better. At least then they had been sitting, not standing for long hours as some woman told them why the break room was called a break room.

Seated at last, Ren was shocked that a TV studio gave their audience worse chairs than a school did. He reasoned it must be so that they are forced to give their utmost attention to what's happening on stage. Otherwise, they would start to groan with pain…

"Is it starting yet?" Ryuji's annoyed voice cut loudly through the quiet babble the students had started. While they weren't giving Ren a wide berth anymore, they still seemed reluctant to be near him. That had made it easy for Ryuji and Ann to snag the seats beside him.

Any answer was unnecessary as the stars walked out onto the set. The host and co-host were joined by a boy with stylish brown hair, a fitted suit, and wearing black gloves. Ren figured he was maybe only a year older than him, but the person on stage had an aura of maturity that no teenager should possess.

Worse yet, was the realization that Ren knew the boy. He was the detective that had aided Kasumi in arresting the principal. If anyone would know about the change of heart the principal endured, it should be him. Feeling that steely claw of terror, Ren wondered if that was indeed what the conversation would be about today. The revelation about who the phantom thieves really were… but no, that was impossible… right?

Just as Ren was trying to relax again, he met the boy's eyes. They were red, like Sumire's, but far darker. Almost maroon where hers were rubies. In them, Ren saw a bottomless passion.

Yes, he was right to be worried about this detective. It wouldn't take him long to discover their identities. Particularly if he was talking to Ryuji.

"We're on in three… two…"

Leaving the rest of the words to be silent, the show started. The exposition confirmed what Ren already knew. That the guest today was none other than one Akechi Goro, known as the detective prince. He had recently achieved greater notoriety through the arrest of the Shujin Principal.

"Now, Mr. Akechi, it is an honor to have such an upstanding youth on our show. Of course, on your most recent television appearance, you called out the Phantom thieves as a group without direction.

"Does their most recent case that they claim credit for, the confession of the painter Madarame, change your perspective on this? After all, quite a few people seem convinced that this group exists and is fighting back against the rot on our society. Your thoughts?"

"Haha, you're really putting me on the spot early!" The detective laughed easily.

His mannerisms were slightly childish but had a good-natured air to them. Still, they appeared forced to Ren's gaze. Like the detective was forcing himself into a well-practiced routine.

"I think for many, this is an easy answer. Who wouldn't want a group of justice-seeking heroes with the ability to bring the bad guys to justice?"

"Very true!" The announcer commented in that booming voice of his.

"However…" On a dime, Akechi's personality changed from joking to serious. His eyes boring holes into the camera. "If these phantom thieves exist, I believe that they should be tried in a court of law!"

"Are they committing crimes?" The host asked in confusion, the change catching him off guard as well.

"Potentially," Akechi answered. "While Madarame's crimes are truly unforgivable, they have taken the law into their own hands to punish him."

"Fascinating!" The host preened, adding on some other silly statements praising Akechi. "Some people, however, claim that they help these criminals redeem themselves?"

"It is not acceptable to force a personality change on someone." Akechi cut in, speaking absolutely.

"Amazing!" The co-host spoke happily. "Why don't we poll the audience. Do you believe that these phantom thieves exist?"

Ren stared at the voting device in his hand. Deciding it wouldn't matter, he pressed the yes button. Due to the large number of Shujin students, Ren expected the number to yeses to be quite high.

"Hmm, over 30%? What do you think Akechi?"

"I must say, that is higher than I expected!" The detective laughed easily. "Although… if it turns out they don't exist at this point… I'd be quite embarrassed. Maybe I could turn it into a school report?"

"Haha! Humorous as always, you are!" The reporter laughed.

"Hmm, why don't we take a question from the audience…"

Ren felt the co-host coming. It was something unavoidable, like how the heat of summer always gave way to the snow of winter. Even while she hemmed and hawed, Ren knew that eventually, she would settle on him.

"Why not you!"

Ren struggled not to sigh as the microphone entered his vision.

"What do you think of the actions of these phantom thieves?"

"…" Pausing, Ren was surprised by the question. He had thought it would be whether or not they existed… Looking up at the detective, Ren found those maroon eyes focused firmly upon him. Was this… Staged?

As Ren stared back, an uncomfortable moment of silence lapsed, everyone waiting for Ren's next words. There were many options, Ren should probably say something noncommittal. A neutral to vague stance.

"They're justice itself." The words just kind of fell from his mouth. The detective's immediate reply was a small smirk as a ripple of noise spread through the crowd.

"You said that very firmly. How are you so confident in them?"

_This is why you don't get let yourself get baited!_

Screaming at himself internally, Ren still believed that this was something he couldn't back away from. If he couldn't even explain their actions to a simple detective, then continuing to act as the phantom thieves past this point would be pointless.

"They only target criminals. Criminals, I should mention, that the police failed to arrest."

"Ooooh." The rather animated noise from the crows turning this into something rather like a sparring match. A match Ren refused to lose.

"Hmm, fair. _But_ you've only seen their actions which they have publicized. Can you be sure that they aren't using these powers to commit crimes that you don't see?"

"That's conjecture," Ren fired back instantly. "Maybe you're just upset because they are doing things you can't?"

"Damn dude!"

Ignoring Ryuji's exclamation, Ren knew that he had crossed a line. Even before the detective replied, the co-host removed the microphone.

"I-It's always so refreshing to speak to the youth of today!"

"Indeed…" Akechi finally answered, still staring appraisingly at Ren. "I always welcome opinions contrary to mine.

"While it is still, conjecture, as has been pointed out, I still believe the most dangerous aspect of these phantom thieves is what else they are capable of doing. How many seemingly ordinary crimes are them pulling the strings behind the scenes?

"These dangerous questions can _not_ go unanswered. Even as we talk, I am working with the police to find and arrest this group."

"Amazing! Let's give a round of applause to our detective prince, Akechi Goro!"

Ren rolled his eyes as the segment came to a close. Exiting their seats, Ren followed Ann and Ryuji over to the studio wall. He could see in their posture how much the talk had bothered them.

"I almost feel like he may have right… Should we really be doing this?" As Ren expected, Ann's voice was conflicted.

"F that guy!" Ryuji growled. "He's just some hotshot that has no clue! Gah, I need to take a leak, wait here for me!"

"Gross… I'll be moving on. Later…"

Sighing, Ren shook his head at his two friends. It was partly evidence of how well the detective talked that he had shaken their resolve so easily. However, it also proved to Ren that although they talked big, they still didn't fully believe in what they were doing.

"Going to have to remind them," Morgana muttered from the bag.

Ren didn't have time for a reply before a different voice called out to him. Turning around, Ren found the detective from before striding towards him as if they were best friends.

"That conversation was very intriguing! To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot happen without both thesis and antithesis."

"…Sure." As soon as he made the nonintelligent reply, Ren regretted it. The opening had set the tone of their interaction. With the detective as the teacher and Ren the pupil.

"Ah, please forgive me. What I mean is that I found our conversation enlightening. It is rare to meet someone who will speak so bluntly to me."

Ren struggled to bite his tongue. He understood that the first time. "Same to you. You mentioned some good points."

"As did you," the detective conceded with a slight smile. It seemed a bit more genuine than the one he had given onstage. "Akechi Goro."

Looking at the outstretched hand, Ren paused for only a moment before taking it. "Amamiya Ren."

"I would enjoy if we could exchange phone numbers Ren. I believe I could learn much from talking with you."

"…Likewise, Goro." Ren answered instantly. He felt like he understood Igor's command to form bonds in this instant. This was truly a man that Ren could learn something from. It would be risky, but Ren felt like it would be necessary. Constantly having his ideals challenged would make him stronger in the end.

The detective only smirked at Ren's casual use of his first name. "Here."

With a quick, electronic exchange of contacts, the detective left. Following him with his eyes, Ren wasn't surprised by Morgana's words.

"Be careful with that one. He's dangerous."


	15. Hotpot and Flowers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Happy new Year!
> 
> Hopefully, it has treated you well so far.
> 
> While I do admit this is the shortest chapter I have published in this story, it seemed an appropriate place to end before the next 'arc' starts.
> 
> Please enjoy
> 
> -asdf

Chapter 15: Hotpot and Flowers

_Saturday June 11, 20XX After school_

"T-This is…" Sumire's voice trembled with wonder as she took her first few steps inside the building. Crossing over a floormat that read LeBlanc, she got her first glimpse of the café. Its floor was lined with old, but solid, dark brown wood. It had a matching counter and stools along one side. Filling the rest of the small interior were tables of various sizes.

"This is where you live, Dude?" Ryuji confirmed from ahead of her. His tone was filled with borderline contempt. Receiving a sharp jab in the guy from Ann, Ryuji kept any further comments to himself.

"What is this?" A gruff voice asked. "These your friends?"

"Something like that," Senpai replied amiably to the man who must have been his guardian. "We'll be upstairs for a bit while we figure out what we're doing."

"I see…" The barista (master?) said slowly. His eyes slowly running over them as if searching for a reason to deny them access.

"Come on." Dropping the conversation, Senpai plowed ahead and led them up the stairs. It felt like a rather curt introduction. Apparently so did everyone else as they kind of mulled about. Ryuji nodding once before following Senpai up.

"The name is Takamaki Ann, sorry for disturbing."

"Kitagawa Yusuke," the tall boy muttered with a deep bow. "Thank you for taking care of Ren. I'm sure part of his boundless selflessness is inspired by you."

"B-Boundless…?" The Master of the shop repeated weakly, scratching his balding head. "Err, it's nice to meet you, both of you. Please feel free to head up."

Stepping forward as they left, Sumire did a slight bow as well. "Yoshizawa Sumire. It's a pleasure."

"Ah, I didn't see you behind the tall one," the man muttered. "Sakura Sojiro. Please don't let me hold you up."

"Oh okay. Umm, j-just to repeat what Yusuke said, but thank you for continuing to allow Senpai, err, R-Ren to live here!"

"Really, it's nothing…" Sojiro waved off, looking more than a little guilty. "You aren't the one I remember but… Are you his…?"

"His…?" Tilting her head, it took a couple seconds for Sumire to understand the implication in the Master's question. "Oh, his g-girlfriend!? N-No, of course not! I'm still too weak! I need to get stronger before I'm worthy of him!"

"Uhh…"

"Err… I-I mean…" Stuttering, Sumire felt like a furnace. _What have I gone and said!?_ Berating herself, Sumire began searching frantically for a way out of this conversation. Thankfully, footsteps on the stairs pulled both their gazes to the back of the room.

Senpai descended barely halfway until he could see them both. His gaze was unreadable. For a moment, it hovered over his guardian before he turned to Sumire. Freezing there, Sumire wondered if he had heard her words. What would he think if he had? He simply gestured with his head and went back up the stairs.

"Excuse me!" Squeaking out the parting, Sumire darted up the stairs to a knowing chuckle from Ren's guardian. Patting her cheeks, Sumire hoped to cool them before she arrived at the room.

Once she finally did reach the top of the stairs, Sumire's feet halted uncertainly. The previous embarrassment drifted far from her mind as she stared at the open space. It couldn't be described as anything other than an attic. The roof wasn't finished; the support beams and even the interior ceiling was visible. The floor was rough, cheap wood that would splinter horribly. It would be suicidal to walk around bare footed. There were none of the luxuries in the space – Sumire refused to call it a bedroom – that she associated with a home. It was uncomfortable, poorly lit, and foreboding.

Clenching her arms across together, Sumire struggled not to turn around and march down the stairs. How dare that man subject Senpai to living in such conditions? The size was unimportant. He may as well be squatting in a warehouse somewhere.

"Please, sit down." Senpai invited her. Somewhat more forcefully than usual.

"…Fine." As she accepted, Sumire took a step forward, then blinked. Ann and Ryuji had sat on the couch and consumed it. Yusuke had pulled up the desk's chair, Morgana sat imperiously on the stool. That left… "E-Excuse me!"

Stammering Sumire tried to summon Senpai's nonchalant mannerisms as she staggered to the bed. It still took her over five seconds to bring herself to sit upon the threadbare mattress. Its make was poor, but it also felt warm under her hand. Though that probably had to do more with it being Senpai's than the mattress itself…

"Dude, what a dump." Ryuji said coarsely, it not honestly.

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked curiously. "What else could one want but expansive room with which to paint?"

"Seriously though," Ann continued. "I mean it is big… but…"

Senpai just shrugged. "Nothing to do about it. It's free and I get good food each morning. So, what are we doing?"

"Oh, it's got to hotpot dude!" Ryuji interjected immediately. More than ready to allow Senpai to change topics.

Not caring all that much about the choice, Sumire found herself with little appetite as she stared at Senpai. She wanted to do something for him, but what?

_If I share with Kasumi he could always move in…_

The thought was liable to send a wave of heat through Sumire again. She was sure if she explained her parents would be fine with it. However, Sumire didn't think she'd survive living with Senpai. Especially with everyone else there teasing her.

"Hotpot sounds good," the others agreed pretty unanimously. Yusuke mentioned something about noodles afterwards. Quickly, roles had been assigned. As everyone left to gather things, Sumire realized she didn't have a job.

"W-Wait up Senpai!"

"What's wrong?"

"Uhh… W-Well, what should I do?" Sumire asked. She didn't want to get coddled as the baby of the group.

"Err, we're pretty good…"

"Can I help you?"

"…Sure." Somewhat reluctantly, Senpai waved at her to follow him down the stairs. There, Senpai went straight behind the counter and began looking for something. Probably a pot large enough to fit their hotpot in.

Crouching down behind him, Sumire once again was left twiddling her thumbs. She probably should have offered her cooking knowledge to everyone. Or at least aided in ingredient selection.

"Got it." After a bit of banging of pots, Senpai extracted a large bowl, more of a cauldron really. _What the hell did they usually use it for?_

"Oh, you using that?" The master asked, coming around the corner.

In a couple of sentences, Ren quickly explained that they were planning on cooking hotpot. He didn't ask for permission either, it was simply relaying _what_ they were doing. Shifting, Sumire wondered if the man would deny them.

Instead, he chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Sounds like fun. Here, let me pull out the electric cooking stove for you all to use."

"I'd appreciate it," Senpai acknowledged, setting the large pot down to aid Sojiro in extracting the cooking device. Soon enough, Senpai emerged with the device they would cook on. Sumire, reached out and picked up the cauldron. All set, they once again ascended the stairs.

"Your guardian…" Sumire began when they were alone. "His actions seem a bit… contradictory."

"Haha…" Senpai laughed weakly, but a hint of understanding in his voice. "It must appear that way."

"You really shouldn't be living in an attic Senpai," Sumire lectured, unable to repress it any longer. "I mean, seriously? What parole officer approved these living quarters? Why did he apply to receive you if he didn't have a free room for you to use?"

Senpai was slow to answer. He methodically ran an extension cord to plug in the heater. Then he turned it on to test whether it was functional. As he did so, he spoke slowly. "I doubt my parole officer cares about my living conditions. Only if I don't beat up any more helpless adults."

"Senpai…"

"You know," he continued, a bitter note in his voice, "this attic is a hell of a lot better than a prison cell. That I know personally."

"Know personally?" Sumire repeated stunned. Senpai had spoken with candor he rarely displayed. Moved by the display, Sumire put her hand on his. "I'm so sorry this had happened to you Senpai."

The moment stretched ten seconds, then twenty, neither of them moving. Finally, Senpai smiled and put his other hand on top of Sumire's and clenched it comfortingly. "You know something? I'm actually not."

"W-What?"

"Coming here. Getting to meet everyone, meeting you. Being a part of the phantom thieves. It's all worth it."

"Senpai…" Blushing, Sumire stared wonderingly into his warm, black eyes. His glasses sparkled faintly under the light, matching the reflection from her own.

"Urgh, why do I have to carry all this?"

"Eep!" Ryuji's loud voice on the stairs sent Sumire tumbling backwards. Her gymnastics training failing her, Sumire rolled into the wall, her face pressed awkwardly into the ground, her legs held in the air by the wall.

"What the eff you doing Sumire? Some failed gymnastics moves?"

"Y-Yes! T-That is exactly right!" Pushing off the floor, Sumire landed gracefully back on her feet. Chuckling awkwardly, she couldn't meet Ann's knowing gaze.

* * *

_Saturday June 11, 20XX After school_

Ren struggled to maintain a poker face as the hotpot cooked and was eaten. Every few seconds he'd catch himself, his eyes trying to wander over to Sumire. He wondered why his heart beat erratically each time. She'd supported him as a friend and in return he had allowed her to fall over when Ryuji's yelling startled her.

As a result, the whole event had left Ren feeling a little bit out of it. He reacted with muted expressions as the others laughed gaily and interacted with glee. Even Yusuke, for the first time that Ren could remember since his awakening, truly let his guard down. Having the shadow of Madarame finally expunged must have felt amazing.

_I wonder if I'll ever get rid of mine…_

The dark thought wasn't particularly helpful during a party, but it may have been due course after his words to Sumire. Ren had claimed that he didn't regret getting arrested, and he didn't. That woman had needed his help, even if she was the one that had doomed him in the end. The man behind it all must have been truly powerful to intimidate both her and the police.

When Ren thought about it like that, weren't there _very few_ people that it could have been? Ren's memories of the night itself were a haze. The only details that were clear in his mind was the look in the woman's eyes. Her genuine fear and desperation with which she pled. Then, after that, was the man clutching his face, threatening to sue. The arrival of the police and his subsequent arrest were a blur.

"Yo leader, what's the matter!?"

"Huh?" Blinking, Ren found everyone looking at him expectantly.

Ryuji tsked, shaking his head. "Don't be like that! We're all friends here…"

Sighing, Ren couldn't think of a lie or a way to divert the conversation. His thoughts were still too occupied. "I was just thinking about the man that got me arrested."

"Whoa, way to kill the mood, dude…" Ryuji teased him. As he talked though, as was typical of Ryuji, he couldn't keep the indignation from getting to him. "I still can't believe that shit happened you. You should tell them."

Glancing around the group, Ren saw some expectant faces. Ryuji was the only one he had told the whole story to. All he could remember,

"I would appreciate that," Yusuke supported the motive. "You've seen everything about me, yet I know so little about all of you."

Ren nodded; he couldn't exactly say no to that. Taking a sip of the broth, Ren set the bowl down at the table and began. He began briefly with his old life. He didn't live too far from here, just far enough that there was little chance of him meeting anyone from his old school.

With that history clarified, Ren dove into the night itself. Since he'd never told it in front of an audience before, Ren spent his time embellishing a bit. The first screams and fighting that had drawn his attention a street away. How he had greeted the couple tentatively.

Then, he dove into the two parts that he remembered the best. How she had pled, and Ren interceded on her behalf. Following that, Ren explained that he remembered the drunk man stumbling and falling on his own. Ren did admit that his memory was a bit faulty there.

After that, his heroic entrance quickly turned against him. The man's threats, the police's arrival and ensuing fawning over the man. Ren ended the story with his arrest. They didn't need anything else.

"Damn it!" Ryuji swore as Ren's last word faded in the air. "Just makes me so god damned mad!"

"I understand your anger, Senpai," Sumire tacked on, curling her legs up unto the chair with her. For once, her appetite appeared to have sated by a normal amount of food. "It's too cruel what's been done to you…"

"Seriously," Ann spat. "That pretty boy detective talked well but no words can erase the injustices that rotten adults have caused."

"Indeed, I could not have said it better myself," Yusuke agreed, the nod of his head oozing grace. "I do not believe we have formally discussed it, but please call upon my aid for all future endeavors."

"We'll remember that!" Morgana promised, the cat's eyes shining. Ren struggled not to roll his eyes at the practically preening cat. Their renewed resolve ensured the cat's objective of getting deeper into mementos. On that note, they probably had access to another zone now.

"Say, Morgana Senpai…" Sumire spoke slowly. "But I was thinking earlier, why do these people go this way? Like what ended up distorting Kamoshida, or the principal, or Madarame?"

"Uhh… T-Their desires… Maybe?"

"That maybe again?" Ryuji sighed. "Don't think on it Sumire, assholes are assholes. All there is to it."

"But that's not right!" The girl insisted bursting to her feet. "These people were nice inside! When we removed their desires, they instantly confessed their crimes, crushed by their weight! That means, without the distortion… they're good people!"

Silence reigned in the room after Sumire finished her emboldened speech. Her shoulders heaved as she stared at each one of them in turn, hoping for an explanation. Ren kept his eyes on the pot and avoided looking at her.

After a moment of heavy silence, Morgana somehow got the courage to reply. "I wouldn't think too hard on it. It's just something that happens. They get drawn further and further in until they lose sight of the morals they once held precious."

"I see…" Sumire backed down, accepting the answer. "P-Please forgive my outburst."

The conversation waned as Sumire sat back down. The atmosphere was heavy, and no one was willing to disturb it. Ren didn't mind, it gave him time to think over the previous discussion. Sumire's argument _was_ well-reasoned. If they looked at the distortion as a cyst or tumour that the phantom thieves had surgically extracted, then it removed culpability from their targets. From this perspective, the phantom thieves were little more than psychiatrists fixing people's mental disorders that were causing abnormal behaviour.

Ren understood the perspective, but he didn't like it. It removed accountability from their actions. It acted as if they all nothing more than puppets dancing to a god's strings. Dismissing the thoughts for now, Ren knew that this wouldn't be the last time he considered it.

Trying to focus on the party, conversation gradually started back up, the topic light. This time, Ren forced himself to participate more. They deserved a more attentive leader.

* * *

_Monday June 13_ _th_ _20XX After school_

"Were we maybe a little too cruel?" Kasumi asked her partner in crime. The final school bell had released the students from their scholarly prison barely half an hour ago. That had been more than enough time for Kasumi and Makoto to put their plan into action.

Basically, the girl in charge of planting the flowers, Okumura Haru, was struggling moving things and asked student council for help. Jumping on the opportunity, the girls had been quick to assign Ren as her slave, err, helper.

Now, Kasumi watched gleefully from the third floor as Ren Senpai struggled to move a heavy wheelbarrow as Okumura bounced up and down beside him shouting words of encouragement. They made a strange pair. One ecstatic about getting help moving the mounds of fertilizer and dirt that she needed, the other was clearly despondent from three stories away.

"Nah, a bit of hard work is good for a person," Makoto assured Kasumi. "Okumura needed help and he needs the prestige."

Kasumi nodded happily along with the words. "Look at the students leaving. See how they pause and question in confusion. They've begun to revaluate their notions of him."

"That's… Very observant," Makoto conceded. "It is good to know that our plan is working. It's hard to undo a bad first impression."

Kasumi nodded firmly at those words. That first encounter could shape a relationship forever. How much had Sumire's relationship with Ren been influenced by a positive first meeting? Before she heard the rumours and fabrications of his ruthlessness. It was an interesting thought experiment, but not one Kasumi was interested in at the moment.

"Why don't we go get some coffee?" Kasumi suggested.

"Hmm, I'm not sure," Makoto hesitated. "I should really do some more work before I head home and study…"

"Well that's the thing," Kasumi began. "I thought we could bring back some coffee for our hard workers out there and then study together!"

"S-Study together…?" Makoto stuttered. "I-I've never done anything like that before…"

Kasumi smacked the older girl on the back. Hard enough that Makoto stumbled. Ignoring how impolite it was to do to an upperclassman—the student council president at that—Kasumi led the way out of the school. "Come on, it will be a new experience."

"A new experience you say…"

Kasumi almost sighed in relief as Makoto followed behind her, dogging her footsteps. Taking a few furtive glances at the older girl, Kasumi wasn't sure what to make of the almost puzzled expression that she wore. Kasumi felt like she knew the older girl fairly well at this point. They had cleaned up together at the park clean-up—a strange irony—and then had devised this plan to help Ren Senpai together. Or rather, formulated it on the spot once the effects of his labour began to be recognized. Yet, despite that time, Kasumi wasn't sure why the girl looked so dumbfounded about this.

"Sooo, er, w-where do you want to get coffee?"

"I'm not sure," Kasumi shrugged. "I doubt it matters. I'm a little strapped for cash, so Big Bang Burger, if that works."

"I haven't had coffee from there…" Makoto continued in her strange reticent voice.

"Me either, but I mean, it's coffee. You just add some cream and sugar to make the bitter slop palatable. What difference does it make where the slop comes from? I doubt those two are coffee connoisseurs anyway."

"Err, I'm sure you underestimate the flavour profile of coffee but… whatever you say."

Kasumi smirked at Makoto's final utterance. _Whatever I say, eh?_ It reminded her of something that Sumire used to say. Giving into Kasumi's extravagant plans and ambitious objectives. _But I ruined that chance…_

Smile falling, Kasumi was glad no one could see her face right now. It probably would have sent them screaming. She resolved herself to not screw this friendship up at least. Kasumi knew she could be overbearing; she would just have to tone it down on occasion.

* * *

_Monday June 13_ _th_ _20XX After school_

"Are we… finished?" Ren's voice was faded and weak. Panting, he leaned over top of the wheelbarrow he had just finished pushing into position. The thing was old and rusted. In combination with the heavy load, it was nearly impossible to move.

"Yes, thank you so much Mr. Amamiya! You were such a great help." Okumura smiled at him fondly. "We can leave this here and I will finish off the fertilization tomorrow. Really, thank you so much!"

Ren chuckled weakly, pulling himself straight. This Okumura Haru was a good girl. She wore her hair short and curly. Surprisingly, it was also a light brown that stood out from the darker shades of her classmates. Despite her school uniform, she had no issue getting dirty, often kneeling to deal with each flower bed meticulously.

Ren had made some careless comments earlier and gotten an earful about the flowers, the different species, and how the colours fit together to make a pleasing arrangement. She was quite taken with growing things, although she claimed that vegetables were her real preference.

"You two all finished up?"

Struggling to repress his groan, Ren turned around to shoot a glare at Kasumi as she approached. "…Huh?" Blinking, Ren was surprised to see Makoto was also there. She wore her schoolbag over her shoulder and carried a tray with three cups in it.

"Here," the student council president gestured forcefully. "Coffee as thanks for your efforts today."

"Thank you…"

"Oh, coffee?" Okumura chirped up quickly at the mention and rushed over. "Why thank you! Where did you… I see."

With how she wore her heart on her sleeve, Ren watched as her mood plummeted instantly. Staring at the coffee cup. What was wrong with it?

"I-Is something wrong?" Makoto asked.

"No. Nothing. I'm sure it will be great."

Without another word, Okumura grabbed the cup and held it between her two hands. Following her example, Ren did the same, sharing a confused look with Kasumi. Once he had it, Ren stared at the design on the front. It was goofy, but familiar. "Wow, Big Bang Burger, you two really splurged on us, huh?"

"Oh, stuff it," Kasumi pouted. "It's not like coffee changes from where you get it."

Ren snorted loudly at the claim. Okumura from beside him made some sort of strangled noise. She was staring at Kasumi bug-eyed. "S-Surely you jest! The acidity, the flavour profile, the richness, there are so many variables that make each cup unique!"

"Uhh…"

"She's right," Ren added on with a nod. He had been pretty neutral on the stuff a few months ago. Now though, after having received Sojiro's tutelage, Ren could taste the differences. "It's a complex drink with more history than you probably realize."

"It appears your assumption about them was incorrect," Makoto laughed a bit. It was the first time Ren had seen the expression on the girl.

"I…" Kasumi meanwhile looked stricken. She kept alternating between Ren and Makoto as if expecting one of them to yell, 'Surprise!'.

"Well, I thank you for your aid Miss student council president. If you would excuse me…"

"Ah, wait!" Makoto cried. The so-called president of the school took a steadying look at Kasumi who nodded encouragingly. "I-I thought maybe the four of us… Could study together for awhile."

"Study?" Ren asked askance. "Exams aren't for a month."

"A month exactly," Makoto confirmed. "They start on the thirteenth of July."

"So why would we…" Trailing off, Ren stole a glance at Okumura who was still hesitating.

"I… Actually that sounds very pleasing. Thank you for the offer. I'll return with my schoolbag right away."

"I need to as well…" Feeling left with no choice, Ren went to get his schoolbag which should still be in his locker. Since Okumura had darted ahead, he was left alone for the first time since… Ren wasn't sure. Basically, Morgana was always with him. The only time Morgana left was when Ren was hanging out with someone. Even when he worked, the cat was usually there.

Being alone, even for five minutes, was a breath of fresh air. He had no obligation to pay attention to the words and feelings that the people around him were expressing.

Opening his locker, Ren quickly rummaged through the contents and threw together what he would need. Some textbooks, his notes, enough to keep the student council president happy, but it would also be empty enough for Morgana to ride in should need necessitate it.

"Are you… friends with those two?" A cute yet tentative voice asked.

Supressing a sigh, Ren's alone time was over already. Shutting the locker, he faced Ms. Okumura. She was clenching the cup of coffee with both hands, her eyebrows knit together in consternation.

"In a way…" Ren answered slowly. He didn't want to say too much until he was sure of her motives for asking.

"Oh, I-I was just curious. Yoshizawa is probably the most popular student in the school, then of course everyone knows the student council president but…"

"Haha, I guess you have a point. A delinquent like me doesn't fit in very well in their company."

Okumura's face paled at Ren's words. "T-That's not what I meant at all! I… I was just curious is all."

Ren shrugged casually. "Don't worry about it. We should hurry up or they're liable to ditch us."

"Would they really!?"

Chuckling at the genuine worry in her voice, Ren shook his head. "No. Kasumi is probably telling Makoto that they should. Miss President has her honour and all that which will make her wait, even if she thinks it a waste of time."

"You address Yoshizawa and the student council president so casually…"

The words weren't a rebuke. Ren caught a whiff of jealously in the statement. Turning to look at her, Ren flashed a daring smile. "It's because I'm a delinquent, you know. Don't need to stand on custom."

This got—for the first time—a genuine laugh from Okumura. "Then by all means, please call me Haru."

"You got it, Haru Senpai. I'm Ren."

"It's a pleasure, Ren."

As their introduction finished, Ren and Haru reached Kasumi and Makoto who seemed to be having the tail end of an argument.

"Well, I wouldn't have agreed if I knew they were going to be this slow!"

"Urgh," Makoto groaned. "If you invite people somewhere stick by your decision! …I never would have agreed to this all if I knew how much time it would take…"

"Ha… It seems your gut was right on, Ren."

"It would appear that it was, Haru."

Kasumi took note of the exchange with a raised eyebrow. "What's this? You've seduced another girl? At this rate, you'll receive a painful reminder of why you should be faithful, _Senpai."_

"S-Seduced?" Ren complained weakly.

"Another?" Haru wondered at the same time.

"Can we go?" Makoto asked weakly. "There's a diner in Shibuya that should work…"

"I agree," Ren jumped in, cutting off Kasumi who looked far too eager to say more. "If it's the place I'm thinking of it should work well. I study there by myself on occasion."

" _Well_ then,"Kasumi spoke with a glint in her eye. Ren knew she hadn't dropped her previous conversation. "To answer the supreme planter's question-"

"S-Supreme planter?"

"-Yes, Ren Senpai here is notorious for stealing hearts."

Ren's eyes widened slightly. Thankful for his longer hair and glasses, he kept his voice level. "No, I'm not."

"H-He's a phantom thief!?" Haru screeched loudly.

"See," Ren accused Kasumi, "this is what happens when you say things like that."

"Err," Kasumi grabbed her ponytail and twirled on a piece of hair in it awkwardly. "Not what I meant. I meant that he has a bad habit of seducing women! Let me guess Haru, he used his nonchalant attitude of not caring, then, when your guard was down, he said something moving and flashed you this daring smile?"

"Amazing…"

"See!?" Kasumi insisted. "He's no delinquent! He's one of those incubi from a manga, here to steal our youth!"

"…Are you finished yet?" Ren asked in a strangled voice. Passers-by had actually stopped to stare at Kasumi's impassioned speech. Even the fabled self-control Ren had mastered to stop himself from punching people when they kept bringing up his past was on the verge of breaking. Even moreso, that Ren at least had a criminal record, he had no record at all with women. Zero girlfriends ever in the tale of his sad life.

"Yep!" Kasumi replied happily. "I just wanted to warn Haru of the minefield she was walking into."

"So casual with an upperclassman…" Makoto sighed. "Please forgive her, Ms. Okumura. I think the fawning of the male students has gone to her head."

"Hey!" Kasumi protested.

Ignoring her, Makoto turned her appraising red eyes unto Red. "You know though… I feel like there was a glimmer of truth in her words about you…"

"Please don't encourage her…" Ren pleaded weakly.

"See, Makoto agrees!" Kasumi said.

"A small glimmer. Like a tiny light in an ocean of black lies."

"Urgh!" Making a strangled noise, Kasumi deflated as Makoto shot down her story. Ren was glad for the clarification. The wary look building in Haru's eyes had faded. The last thing he needed was for her to begin spreading how he used his dark powers to enslave women and steal their youth.

A short train ride later, they did indeed enter the diner that Ren was so used to. Nodding at the waitress, she winked at him knowingly, probably seeing his company. Hoping Kasumi had missed the interaction, Ren led them to his usual table. Sliding in on the far side, Ren wasn't surprised when Kasumi plopped herself down beside him. That left Haru and Makoto to struggle over the far side. Both of them whispering niceties about going ahead until finally Haru slid in across from Ren.

"Finally," Makoto muttered pulling out her stuff. With a groan as she checked the time, Makoto shook her head disbelievingly. "It's already half past four?"

"So?" Ren replied, somewhat sassily. "Place doesn't close til ten, that gives you five and a half hours of studying if you want it."

"Urgh, but my sister and supper…" Debating something to herself, Makoto's eyes were unfocused. "No, I'll just have to call her and tell her to eat out. She'll probably be mad though…"

Kasumi's eyes began to sparkle dangerously again. Makoto's muttered words were just loud enough for them to make out. Wondering if he should stop her, Ren ran out of time. "If you're scared that she'll be mad at you, just invite her here. I'm sure Ren will seduce her anger away."

Makoto snorted, then held a hand over her mouth. The ever-so uptight student council president looked moments away from breaking down into a fit of laughter. "Seduce my sister?" Makoto laughed. "I may be bad at romance, but I doubt she even knows what it is. If she ever marries it will probably be for status… I-I mean, forget I said anything."

Interest piqued, Ren respected her wishes and began pulling out his own materials. As he bent over, he shot a threatening elbow into Kasumi's side. The girl yelped softly and leaned down beside Ren.

"I'm not that heartless to keep prying when she told us to leave it alone."

Ren gave her an innocent look. "Heartless? I didn't know that."

"Urgh, shut up."

With a blush, Kasumi quickly sat straight back up, somehow extracting everything she needed before Ren had. Grumbling, Ren sat back up and laid down the textbook and notebook that he used.

As he spread them out, the waitress appeared. She was the same one that Ren always saw. Standard black hair, a traditional rounded face. Yet, her eyes always seemed to sparkle with happiness. How, when she dealt with people all day at her job, Ren would like to know. "Oh, a study session, how fun! I remember having those… So, what does everyone need?"

"Oh, what's this tower thing?" Haru asked excitedly pointing at the menu.

"Oh, that is a delight." The waitress began. She quickly described the tall dessert that tested their patrons' proficiency with chopsticks. All too often it caused cries of alarms as yet another patron failed to maneuver the food causing a spill.

"Hmm, I don't know how hungry I am though…" Haru muttered.

"I know!" Kasumi decided for the table. "We will take a tower, the person who spills it, pays for it!"

The other girls reluctantly agreed, but Ren stayed silent. Smiling weakly at the waitress, he waited until she left to flip open his books. Even with the 'game' Kasumi had forced them to play, Ren was sure he would end up paying. Not because he would spill, but because Kasumi would insist he 'show his chivalry' or something along those lines.

With food ordered, the study session began exactly how most group study sessions begin: talking.

"Oh, Miss President, your notes are so nice! No wonder you always get top marks!"

"Haha… Umm, a lot of hard work, I guess… Also please, call me Makoto. These two already do…"

"W-Will do, M-Makoto. Likewise, call me Haru please. N-Not just because they do of course, but…"

The interaction was cute in a hesitant sort of manner. The girls appeared to have little experience interacting with others their age. Even as their speech became more casual, there was still a hint of hesitancy in their interactions.

It was one that—Makoto at least—didn't possess when talking to Kasumi or Ren. He deduced it was likely because she saw them as anomalies rather than normal students. Ren wasn't sure if he should be happy or offended at the distinction.

Slowly, the talking faded and more studying occurred. Partly enforced by Makoto's draconian measures. Ren didn't mind. Makoto was right, it was never too early to begin preparing. Going over his notes, rewriting the sloppy sections, adding in some detail. It was menial but engaging. Strangely, it made a rather nice break from running through the metaverse.

At some point, the atmosphere changed when the waitress returned with the tower. It sat in the center of the table like a challenge. The first few layers were the smallest and easiest to remove. That made them the most tempting. However, it would also be clear that the person who did so had no intention of paying—showing a lack of manners—and lacked faith in their skills. At this rate, the tower would sit there untouched until they left.

"You guys are silly," Kasumi commented lightly, then with no warning, snatched the top layer. It was a dextrous grab demonstrating her refined fine motor skills. "Ohh, it's good!"

"I-Is it?" Then with a tentative motion, Haru snagged the second layer.

No one had failed yet.

Turning his gaze to Makoto, Ren smiled at the girl. "Please, ladies first."

She raised an eyebrow, but otherwise made no comment as she stretched out to grab the third layer of eight. Already the width was impressive. Still, the president was no slouch as her chopsticks widened to correct size then pressed in carefully around the layer. Taking it unto her personal small plate, Makoto gestured to the tower. "All yours."

"Why thank you." Not to be outdone, Ren flourished his chopsticks once, sending one in a circle before letting them rest easily in his grasp. As the person with the largest hands, he was aware of his minor advantage in this endeavour.

Not overestimating his ability, Ren did it slower than Kasumi, but still faster than either of the other two. Something he kept to himself was that he'd _eaten_ the tower before. He'd done this very challenge and failed at the eighth ring. Yet again, he was on course to challenge that same obstacle.

Once the first set of layers was safely distributed, it was time to eat. None of them took very long to do so. Ren was the last to finish as he had the biggest piece and started last. Haru had started already while Kasumi's had vanished at some point down her gullet.

"One of you can have my next piece if you want," Ren proffered awkwardly. "You seem to be enjoying it-"

""Really!?"" Both Haru and Kasumi asked with overlapping voices.

"You two…" Makoto sighed as laughter consumed the table. "That's enough of a break, back to studying."

"Yes Ma'am," Ren sighed, the hints of a smile still lingering from the previous moment. As he turned his head back down to the table, Ren couldn't miss Kasumi and Haru's gazes still wandering to the center of the table.

"Hey Makoto, can you help me with this? I don't understand why I need to use the permutation formula here instead of the combinatorial one…"

"Let me see…" Makoto mumbled as she scanned Haru's page. All Ren could do was raise an eyebrow and share a glance with Kasumi who just shrugged. Third year math sounded like a different subject entirely from all the trig work that he had to endure. "Ah, here. You need the permutation equation for when order of choosing is important. In this question, if you draw a card it isn't placed back in the deck. Therefore, the chance of drawing two face cards in five pulls is dependant upon the first draws. Put differently, the order is important since the probability shifts with each draw, or choice to generalize it."

"I-I see…"

Ren was used to that sentence. Ryuji used it a lot when Morgana began talking about the metaverse. Ren understood it to mean that nothing was learned but Haru was too nice to reject Makoto's help.

"Yeah, you're gonna need to try that again Makoto," Kasumi snickered.

Sighing, Ren shook his head. Apparently Kasumi didn't have the same reservations. "Don't you have your own work?"

"Not really," the girl shrugged. "I'm all caught up."

"This is about studying ahead for midterms," Makoto snapped, looking abashed. Turning back to Haru's work, Makoto was struggling on how to reword everything.

Despite the interesting transition of Makoto attempting to play teacher, Ren's gaze was drawn to the waitress who was leading people to the table next to theirs. It was two men, both wearing Shujin uniforms. In fact, Ren was pretty sure one of them at least was in his grade.

They were whispering frantically about something as they sat down, never seeing Ren's party. Intrigued by the frantic expressions, Ren sat up a little straighter, focusing on the boys. As the waitress left, their voices rose.

Straining, Ren could make out the beginning of words. Perhaps sensing his new focus, the girls fell silent. As they did, the words washed over the table clearly.

"Look, they only have pictures of me carrying a bag. None of the contents being revealed. I-I'm good, right?"

"I don't know dude…" The second voice answered from the far side of the table. "Being implicated in drug trafficking would be bad…"

_Drug trafficking!?_

Perking up even straighter, Ren stared hard at the back of the boy's head. The girls had clearly heard as well. All three of them were staring at each other in confusion.

"Y-Yeah, I know, but what else can I do? Unless I cough up _a lot_ of money, they'll give the pictures and info to the police!"

"Maybe… Go to student council?"

"Ha, you must be joking! Little Miss Pres only cares about her reference letters for college. I'm doomed…"

Makoto's face hardened but she didn't say anything. Kasumi reached out a comforting hand and squeezed hers.

"N-No, I'm sure there's a way out… The rumours are circulating, they must have done this to a dozen students by now. I'm sure the police will intervene before too long…"

"…Why is there a drinking limit…"

With that strangled groan, the conversation changed to less interesting topics. Slumping back into his seat, Ren's mind ran a thousand miles an hour. Someone was blackmailing students for money. How did the students get into this in the first place? Where was in occurring?

Ren knew so much but so little. He'd have to discuss it with everyone. There was no way he would let this fly. Ren personally knew well the feeling of being failed by the law. He wouldn't let it happen to dozens more.

"Scary…" Haru muttered. "I can't believe something like that is happening…"

Makoto stayed silent; her face focused down on her books. Even Kasumi's comforting hand did little to comfort her.

"Oh, screw this."

"Kasumi?" Ren reacted too slowly. The brunette was already standing up and marching the scant metre to the boys' table.

"You two! How dare you sit there and lament your fate without doing anything!?" Kasumi stood there imperiously, hands on her hips. Her face was bunched into a tight scowl. Not truly anger, but disappointment.

"Yo-Yoshizawa!?"

"You were eavesdropping?"

"Bah!" Kasumi dismissed the accusations. "If you want your goings-on to be private, don't discuss them in a public place. Now, how are you going to fix this?"

"F-Fix it?" The first boy stuttered—the one that was getting blackmailed. "Unlike you, I don't exactly have the body to seduce a detective to help me, do I?"

"I-I what?" Kasumi looked more rattled than Ren would have expected. She usually rolled over accusations easily. "Akechi would never!"

"So casual," the boy spat back. "What would someone like you know about my problems?"

"Know!?" Kasumi raged, starting to get enraged, her cheeks flushed with heat. "I was literally blackmailed by our principal! I _know_ more about your situation than almost anyone!"

"W-Well, that's still…"

"Oh, shut up with the blabbering," Kasumi ordered. "Stop making excuses about your sorry life and figure out how to fix it!"

"What do you recommend then?" The boy managed to answer, his voice sounding increasingly chastised.

Kasumi merely shrugged, as if the problem had nothing to do with her, even after she had charged her way into it. "Doesn't matter. Safe option I suppose is to throw yourself on the police's mercy. Tell them what you did and how sorry you are. Then, they can't blackmail you with the pictures anymore."

"Maybe I'll do that…" The boy mumbled in response. "I-I'm a student, so they'll be merciful, right?"

No voices of sympathy consoled the desperate voice. Ren stayed silent where he was seated and continued to watch the interaction play out.

"Maybe you should," his friend agreed, his voice pained. "I mean… what's the worse that can happen? At least you won't have to try and pay that 1,000,000 yen they want from you."

Kasumi appeared to jump on the detail. "That payment. How did they want it?"

"Err, w-well, they have guys that roam Shibuya. I'm supposed to leave the cash in an envelope behind a trash can in an alleyway."

"I see… I wonder if…" As Kasumi muttered to herself, she began tapping her lips with her left pointer finger. "Hmm, one last question, how did they rope you into doing all of this?"

"How? W-Well, I wanted some money, and they were offering an easy job that paid well so…"

Kasumi shook her head sadly at the boy. "Well-paying, easy, and not an official business. None of this was suspicious enough for you? Oh, boy."

"Hey! Don't judge, I was desperate…" Ren could hear the embarrassment in the boy's voice as he leaned low over the table. He knew the feeling personally of withering beneath Kasumi's gaze.

"Okay, well, have fun, bye!" Ignoring their astonished looks, Kasumi came and resumed her place beside Ren. "…What?"

As all three of them gazed at her, Kasumi looked surprised, as if her actions had been totally normal. Ren merely shook his head in wonder. He didn't know who this gang's boss that was running this scam, but they should be careful to avoid provoking Kasumi's ire any further. For Ren knew who he'd vote on if they went head-to-head in a clash.

"That should have been my job…" Makoto muttered; her cheeks flushed in humiliation.

"Meh," Kasumi shrugged. "I think it came better from someone that he couldn't dismiss as having no idea about what he's going through."

"He still tried though," Ren snorted, amused at the boy's foolish attempt to ward Kasumi off. That was the moment she had been able to seize control of the conversation.

"Still, aren't you all scared?" Haru asked. "A gang targeting students? How dreadful…"

"Yes…" Makoto muttered. "Maybe it is time for the phantom thieves to prove their justice."

Catching the look directed at him, Ren didn't react. He knew that Makoto's evidence had made them the primary suspects, but anyone with half a brain could have figured that out. As long as she didn't have any evidence, they were safe.

"I wouldn't trust them," Kasumi muttered darkly. "Stealing desires, the over-the-top confessions. They have too much power."

"R-Really?" Haru chimed in, "I thought they were pretty cool. Like heroes from a book or something!"

"Oof, I'm surrounded by Phanatics," Kasumi groaned in mock pain.

"Surrounded? Then Ren, you too…?"

Ren shrugged briefly in answer. "I agree with their actions."

"Agree? Mr. They're the law itself."

Ren glanced at Kasumi, of course she had seen the program. She was friends with Goro. "Haha, just embellishing things for the TV audience you know."

Kasumi rolled her eyes back at him. "I'm not going to hate you over a difference in opinion Senpai. I just find the powers they hold to be extremely frightening."

"Why?" Ren asked, turning to look at her.

Kasumi stared back, a small challenge in her brown eyes. "So far, all we know is that they have manipulated the mental state of two high priority targets to force them to confess to their crimes. Beyond that, however, there have been about half a dozen smaller ones where people have claimed the phantom thieves have corrected minor wrongs. A girl whose ex stopped stalking her, for example."

"…And?" Ren probed, impressed that she knew about the mementos cases. As far as Ren knew, none of them had been publicized in the news.

"And where does it stop? The mental shutdowns, is that a different utilization of that same power? Is that them as well, or maybe there are two groups clashing wielding these strange abilities we know nothing of."

"…That's speculation," Ren breathed, feeling a chill down his back. Most people would take Kasumi's words to be the product of an out-of-control imagination. Wild hypotheses that landed too far from reality. Ren, however, was struck by how correct she may be.

_Someone in a black mask._

Madarame's words often haunted Ren's subconscious.

"Of course," Kasumi agreed. "But isn't the point of a democracy to let the people decide what methods are legal to bring people to justice? This isn't the states where we execute our prisoners. We strive to be better. How can we claim to be a forward driven nation when as a country we rely on vigilantes to deliver justice?"

Ren found himself speechless beneath her barrage. Kasumi's points were extremely valid. However, as he sat there, one glaring flaw revealed itself to him. "That's all precedented upon the system working."

"…What do you mean?"

Ren continued, their staring match still unrelenting. "If the people in power can blatantly ignore the laws and will of the people, then the system is flawed. In that case, who better to dole out justice?"

"I…" Kasumi pursed her lips, her brow furrowed as she digested Ren's words. "I do understand what they are doing… I have no right to judge them. Still… I guess I just wish they weren't necessary."

"…Me too," Ren tagged on. As the moment between them ended, Ren became aware of Haru and Makoto staring at both of them intently. Both upperclassmen appeared a bit shell-shocked.

"Amazing…" Haru voiced, accidently most likely as her cheeks coloured after.

Makoto's reaction was more composed as she set her mechanical pencil upon her open textbook. "I guess that settles it then. I look forward to seeing more of their justice."

Ren ignored the implications in Makoto's words and turned back to his textbook. She could make all of the assumptions she wanted. Either way, Ren would follow this path set out before him. At the center of the table, the remaining half of the tower still sat unchallenged.


	16. Where oh where is the crime boss's lair?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> Hello again,
> 
> I editted this pretty quickly, so hopefully it isn't riddled with too many horrific errors.
> 
> On another note, this chapter is very delayed for how short it is. Maybe it's just me, but I've felt too many segments are too repetitive. Ergo, things are speeding up a little, less meaningful sections that would have bloated the word count getting cut. If it isn't working I may change back.
> 
> Either way, I hope it is at least somewhat enjoyable.
> 
> -asdf

Chapter 16: Where oh where is the crime boss's lair?

_Tuesday June 14_ _th_ _, 20XX Morning_

Sitting in his classroom, Ren waited the final minutes for class to begin. It shouldn't be long now, although with Ms. Kawakami you could never tell. Ren often got the impression that she didn't sleep very well which frequently made her borderline late to school.

"Oh my god, I just heard that one of our school's students was in police custody!"

"H-Huh? What are you talking about?"

Struggling not to jump out of his chair, Ren focussed his ears on the conversation two girls beside him were having. The one in front was clearly eager to share; her voice raised and carrying through the noisy classroom.

"Yeah, that's right. My dad's an officer around here. Said that last night a student from our school showed up at the station and confessed to drug trafficking!"

"W-What!?"

The first one was nodding quickly now. "Keep it quiet, alright? This is confidential. My dad would be suuuper mad if he knew I was telling you."

"D-Drug trafficking though? And its not…"

Ren rolled his eyes as he felt the girls glance toward him. Keeping himself faced front though, they were apparently unaware that he heard every word.

"Yeah, so anyway, its apparently related to this _big_ gang that's operating out of Shibuya. They like target students by offering them cheap jobs!"

"Scary…"

"I know, right? Like, just arrest them. What are the police doing?"

"I-I'm sure its not that easy…"

"Oh, I know! Maybe If the police can't do it, the phantom thieves should like steal their hearts!"

Ren could only listen as they broke into giggles. Neither girl seemed to truly believe in them. That didn't matter, they were right. Ren wouldn't sit back and watch a gang target his school's students.

"You heard?" He whispered to Morgana.

"Yes," the cat replied. "It's basically the same as what you told me last night."

"We'll meet up with everyone after school. I'll send a message."

"…Okay." The cat replied hesitantly. "I'm always up to tackle a difficult palace…"

"Is something wrong?" Frowning down at the cat, Ren whipped out his phone as Ms. Kawakami rushed into the room. Running out of time, Ren's fingers blurred across the keys. By the time Kawakami called for morning announcement, Ren had clicked send and put it back in his pocket.

When things were finally finishing, Morgana spoke up again. "I guess, I would have thought you'd be happy with these events?"

"Why?"

"Well, they continue to deride you… I would have thought you'd like to see them suffer."

Ren was genuinely surprised by the sentiment. But he did understand what Morgana was saying. It would be a bitter sort of justice watching the students get dragged into the same affairs that they accused him of. Still, students tended to be obsessed with fads. Now that Ren had completed more than two boring months of school, the students had switched from hostility to boredom. It was almost as if they had been _hoping_ Ren would do something. Give them something else to talk about to liven up their boring student lives.

Smiling slightly at his own thoughts, Ren whispered one last statement before focussing on class. "Nah, no one deserves to go through what I did."

* * *

_Tuesday June 14_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

Makoto once again resorted to holding her book upside down. She wasn't even sure what it was on, she had quickly grabbed it from the library and darted outside.

Having been acquainted with actual detectives—like her sister and Akechi—Makoto would never dare claim the title for herself. However, her instincts were screaming at her. Ren was simply too sure, too confident in the phantom thieves for someone who seemed so laid back.

Plus, _all_ of her evidence, every conjecture, pointed to him at being the most likely suspect. He was probably just a proxy for the ones that actually wielded the power, but Makoto was certain. Ren _was_ involved.

It was that confidence that led her to pursue him as he left school grounds for the day. Hiding behind the recently planted flower beds, Makoto stared with wide eyes. Her attention was fixed so strongly on the unassuming student that she completely missed the presence behind her.

"Umm, Makoto?"

"Wah! N-No of course I'm not following Ren!" Whirling around, Makoto found herself face-to-face with Haru. The poor girl was so startled by Makoto's outburst that she stumbled back a step.

"I-I didn't say you were. So why are you- umm, I mean, why _aren't_ you following Ren?"

"W-Why aren't I…?" Makoto trailed off as she considered the unorthodox question. Glancing back down the street, Makoto was dismayed as how quickly his back was disappearing. "J-Just curious about something, bye!"

Dashing away from the school, Makoto kept her book up around her face. She needed it in case Ren should spy her. In short order, Makoto heard another set of steps beside her.

"H-Haru?" Confirming the fluffy-haired girl's presence, Makoto was unsure whether to be comforted or dismayed.

"If it's that important, I thought maybe you'd like the support," the girl smiled hesitantly.

Appreciating the gesture of friendship, Makoto struggled to reply. It was something she hadn't considered until yesterday, but confronting the phantom thieves potentially held great danger. Still hemming and hawing about this showdown, Makoto was steadied by Haru's presence.

"Umm, to be blunt Makoto… Why are you doing this?"

"Err, I just…" Trailing off, Makoto couldn't answer the question any better the second time. "Let's just say that if I ask you to leave, please do."

Haru struggled to digest Makoto's confusing words. Blinking once again, the rather unassuming gardener just nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you." Breathing a sigh of relief, Makoto felt better knowing that Haru should be able to avoid any potential incriminations with the thieves. Makoto wondered if that was what happened to Ren the first time. Someone found out who the thieves were and he had to assault the man to keep them silent until they changed his heart.

But no.

Frowning, Makoto discarded that theory. It didn't make any sense. If anything, Ren was probably released by the thieves as a loyal messenger. Using their influence over his parole officer to win him over.

Yet, once again, Makoto discarded her thoughts. None of them seemed to fit. Ren was too earnest. Plus, if he had a corporation behind this, they wouldn't bother targeting someone like a teacher. It would all be high profile people like Madarame.

Grumbling about the lack of information, Makoto almost forgot about Ren and had to stop herself from running into him at a line-up in the station.

_Is something staring at me?_

Feeling a slight jolt, Makoto tracked the sensation to Ren's schoolbag. Was that the glint of eyes? Unnerved slightly, Makoto continued stubbornly on behind Ren, boarding the train through a nearby door.

"Oh, thank you for your help yesterday, Mako-chan."

At the strange name, Makoto flinched, whirling to stare at Haru. "M-Mako?"

"O-Ohh, I'm sorry! It just sort of slipped out!"

"N-No, it's fine." Makoto smiled. In fact, receiving the nickname had set her heart fluttering. Like with Kasumi before her, Makoto felt like she'd found a friend. "I umm, don't have one for you though…"

"O-Oh no, please don't worry about it!" Haru insisted, colouring badly from embarrassment. "I just thought it was a little cuter and suited you…"

"You mean cute names suit me?" Blurting it out, it was Makoto's turn to avert her eyes and stare at the train floor. She could feel gazes from the nearby boys that had overheard her words. Self conscious, Makoto dipped her face back behind the book.

"Yep, absolutely!" Haru agreed, digging in further. "I think if you wore a nice dress, with shiny earrings, you'd be _super_ cute."

"S-Super cute!?" Makoto squeaked. This time she was sure. Chuckles from nearby passengers. Male gazes lapping at her body, trying to figure out how accurate Haru's assessment was.

"I'm sure of it!" Haru finalized.

"Urgh…" Doing her best to endure the stares and giggles, Makoto barely noticed the train slowing down as it pulled into Shibuya station. She was mortified that Haru had done this to her.

"Umm, Mako-chan? Ren is getting off."

"W-What!?" Shooting to her feet, Makoto forgot to keep her book up in her haste. "After him!"

Darting to the train door, Makoto muttered a few hasty excuse mes as she pushed through the crowd. In short order, she found Ren casually climbing the staircase. To the unobservant, he looked nothing more than a depressed student hoping to find something meaningful to fill his time in the packed city. To Makoto, Ren simply looked pensive. As if his thoughts stayed on topics that he found unpleasant.

"What are you?" Muttering to herself, Makoto pursued him up. In no time, they made their way to the walkway overlooking the crossing. Staying around a corner, Makoto and Haru were treated to an unfiltered view of Ren leaning against the railing and staring at the city.

One after another, as if by prearranged fortune, more people showed up. Ones Makoto had been suspecting. Sakamoto Ryuji, Takamaki Ann. Both people that had the most to gain from Kamoshida's change of heart. Then came the one that had finally convinced Makoto: Kitagawa Yusuke. The boy had been the last pupil Madarame had. Attending a school far off, the chances of him randomly becoming friends with them all was exceedingly unlikely. There were simply too many coincidences for Makoto to be wrong.

Her assumptions were dashed moments later as a curtain of red hair passed through her vision. "Yoshizawa… Sumire?" Mumbling the girl's name, Makoto doubted that there was a single person in their school that didn't know the girl. While she didn't have the fame of her older sister, Makoto often heard boys whisper excitedly about Sumire's exotic good looks. Wearing large glasses hidden behind long, straight hair, Sumire had that aura that made people want to protect her.

Or she used to anyway.

Now, the girl tossed her hair back over her shoulder and strolled ahead confidently. Straight into Ren's group like she belonged there. Staggered by the development, Makoto wondered how she had missed this.

"The clean-up…" Groaning, Makoto realized she had misunderstood the relationship between the three of them. Still, Kasumi and Ren seemed a little too close for the way that Sumire now sidled up to the boy.

Unfortunately, Makoto couldn't hear the words being said. There was too much traffic in the walkway. Too much background noise. It made their hideout essentially perfect. It was wide open preventing people they couldn't see from eavesdropping. At the same time, the location was public enough that they didn't look suspicious talking here.

"Umm, Makoto?" Haru asked from slightly behind. "Are spying on Ren to find out if he's cheating on Kasumi?"

"Err, not really, no. I don't think it's possible to cheat on a sister with another sister…" Makoto mumbled back. Although she was becoming increasingly curious as to what exactly Ren's relationship with the sisters was.

"Good point… So, why then?"

Receiving the question a third time, Makoto just shook her head. Her hesitancy to telling the truth was diminishing each time. She wanted to confide in someone.

As they watched, something shifted in the group. Ryuji had shot up, yelling animatedly about something. Only a few words drifted over to Makoto's ears.

"…We have to… …No one else… …think of the fame!"

Despite how loud he was talking, it was Ann's words that cut through the air even more clearly. "Shut up! There are people around!"

With growing certainty, Makoto swallowed once to steady her nerves. Lowering the recently remembered book, she stowed it in her bag. "This is where we part Haru. Thank you for the company."

"Mako-chan…?"

Ignoring the questioning call, Makoto strode forward, passing through the people walking as if they were ghosts. Halting a few feet away, Makoto waited as they adjusted to her presence.

Ren was the first one to see her. His expression inscrutable, he greeted her amicably. "Makoto." Friendly enough, it was still colder than the parting he had given yesterday. His eyes slightly hooded behind his glasses.

"Oh, the pres is back?" Ryuji grumped. "What do you want? We aren't on the roof anymore."

"It isn't that." Makoto spoke coldly, channelling her best impersonation of her sister. _Oh, Sae, give me the strength to do this!_

Ignoring the questioning glances, Makoto focussed her gaze solely upon Ren. The way the boy was situated within the group spoke to him being their leader. Backing up this train of thought, as soon as she faced him, the others simply waited.

"I want you to prove the justice of your group."

"My group?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow. His poker face was convincing enough that Makoto would have thought she was mistaken if not for the others. Their expressions morphed into surprise and fear.

"Yes, the phantom thieves." Speaking clearly, Makoto was greeted with several dropped jaws. Ren, once again, just stood there, his eyes drilling holes into her. Keeping her back straight, Makoto continued. "I want you to-"

Forced to stop midsentence, Makoto looked down upon Sumire as the red-haired girl stepped close to her. Looking at her from close range, Makoto could clearly see the family resemblance.

"Aren't you a bit of an idiot?"

"W-What?" Stuttering, Makoto felt her façade begin to shatter under the girl's intense glare.

"Would you really accuse people who have changed people's desires? Even if you were right, the group could simply steal your desire to turn them in."

It was a perfect echoing of Makoto's worst fears. Stumbling back a step. She had to steal herself against sprinting away. By god, she was frightened. Beginning to hyperventilate, Makoto had no words.

"That wasn't very nice." Raising a hand, Ren lightly smacked Sumire across the back of the head.

Instantly, her aura of dominance faded. "Ow! Senpai, I was trying to keep her safe!" The cute pout on Sumire's lips was so different from her previous expression, Makoto couldn't understand what was happening.

"No, you weren't," Ren continued. "I try hard enough to convince people we only target criminals. We really don't need rumours out there about the phantom thieves harassing innocents and engaging in mind control."

"…Sorry," Sumire muttered. "But still! She'll be in danger if she comes along."

"You didn't even let her finish saying what it is she wants…"

_We only target…_

At that point, most of Makoto's consciousness had dissociated. She was right. But Ren wasn't just part of the phantom thieves. He ran everything. It was fitting in a way.

Coming to, Makoto realized that everyone was back to staring at her. "Umm…"

"You were saying?" Ren prompted.

"Ohh… I…" What was she saying again? "I want you to stop the crime boss that's targeting students in Shibuya."

"Don't bother asking." Ren replied.

"W-What? But…"

"We were going to do it anyway."

Blinking, Makoto could only stare in confusion at the enigmatic boy. "You… You were?"

"Of course," Ren smirked. "I can't let people abuse my fellow students."

"Are-are you… No, sorry. Thank you. Thank you so much." Bowing deeply, Makoto struggled to contain tears. She didn't know what she was hoping to achieve by coming here. A gentle acceptance and promise to help was beyond her wildest expectations.

"Umm…" Feeling a hand on hers, Makoto looked up into Sumire's red eyes once more. Rather than hard rubies, they were swimming with guilt. "S-Sorry for my words earlier. Please leave this to us."

"…You're saying I'm useless to you?" Makoto asked. Staring into those eyes, she saw the truth reflected. Yes. Sumire didn't think that Makoto would be able to help them at all.

"No," Ren interjected. "What we need most from you is information. What's the name of Shibuya's crime boss?"

"I-I don't know…"

"…Do you know anyone who might?"

"Err… I-I'm not sure…" Hunching her shoulders in, Makoto could feel the sentiment from the surrounding members. While they had stood there silently for the most part, she could sense the judgement. _Who are you to aid us?_ Makoto had no answer. She was no one. A burden to her sister. A student council president that the students didn't trust.

"That's fine." Ren tried to soothe. "What about from the students? I heard that the boy from yesterday went to the police."

"O-Oh yes." Makoto nodded frantically. "I got a memo about that. It seems like the police weren't very sympathetic however…"

"Yeah, I guess Kasumi's speech didn't help him all that much…" Ren murmured, more to himself than in answer to Makoto.

"Excuse me?"

The temperature felt like it dropped at least ten degrees. Makoto almost started sweating, she could imagine those hard red eyes that were staring up at Ren.

"Uhh, w-well, we had a study session yesterday and Kasumi was there, and then she berated that boy from our school that went to the police station as I explained earlier…"

"Grr…"

"Umm, are you upset about something?" Ren asked hesitantly.

"No."

Makoto struggled not to laugh. Hearing another mirrored giggle, Makoto glanced over at Ann who was in a similar position.

"…Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay then… So, Makoto. As I was saying before, have you heard anything more about how he got into it? Anything extra would be very helpful."

Before Makoto could reply, Sumire interjected with one final, "Hmpf!" Crossing her arms, the girl was clearly pouting.

"Haha…" Laughing weakly, Ren seemed to understand he was in trouble but couldn't do anything about it at this moment. Raising his right hand, he patted the red-haired girls head with exaggerated motions. Even through her pout, Sumire's cheeks started to loosen a bit.

_Oh my, she_ is _smitten._

Struggling to contain another giggle, Makoto focussed on Ren who was still staring at her. "I'm not sure. Since he didn't come to me, most of my information has filtered down from the acting principal. I-I'll think it over and message you if I find something."

"Sounds good." Ren nodded. "We'll do what we can over here…"

"Is something wrong?" Makoto asked as Ren's words trailed off.

"No… I just thought I saw Haru."

"Haru!?" Whirling around, Makoto looked but saw no sign of the distinctive hair. "Did she not leave…?"

"What was that?"

"N-Nothing! Bye!" Waving at the group, Makoto strode off at an embarrassingly fast clip. Thanks to Sumire's antics she had calmed down quite a bit. However, it was still highly unnerving standing in the middle of a group like that. "I really was useless to them…"

Sighing heavily, Makoto tried to put her mind to work. It was time to finally apply her hard-earned studying techniques to an application that actually mattered.

* * *

_Tuesday June 14_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Urrrgh…"

_I'm such an idiot._

Muttering to herself, Sumire could barely pay attention as the thieves talked among each other. Makoto's exit was prompt, but it made sense. She didn't feel at ease here, and why would she?

However, Sumire's thoughts couldn't help but come back to her own behaviour. How her initial burst of fear led to her insulting Makoto. Thankfully, Ren had cleaned that up, but then she had to make it worse by overreacting to her sister's name. Looking back, Sumire realized how she seemed.

The reason she was so shocked was that neither of them had mentioned it. True, she wouldn't have been able to join, but they could have sent her an invite!

_Why invite me when the smarter sister is there?_

Feeling her anger rising again, Sumire took a big breath. They needed her to pay attention to the current circumstances. Her jealousy was nothing compared to the extortion of the school's students.

"School's students…"

"What was that Sumire?"

Raising a hand to hush whoever had asked her, Sumire's mind worked quickly. Her idea… it could work. "Why don't we let ourselves get taken the same way?"

"…Explain." Ren demanded tersely.

"I mean, if we go in our school uniforms, they'll be watching for them and talk to us, right? It will be an introduction at least…"

"True…" Ren mumbled. "The question is if we can manipulate them somehow. Get them to bring us to their boss somehow. Become customers…"

"That sounds very risky," Fox frowned. "Especially for you, Ren. Your previous record would make further incarceration especially bad."

"I'll do it." Stepping forward, Sumire drew all their gazes. "It was my idea; I should take the risk. Besides, I also look the most vulnerable." It was something Sumire didn't like to admit, but she was the shortest member and with the combination of her glasses and hair, it was a word her sister had applied to her.

Sumire had been upset with the description at the time. Now, she could only hope it would be useful.

Thankfully, Ren didn't immediately say no. Even though by the crease in his face, he definitely wanted to.

"Are you sure?" Was all he said quietly.

Nodding firmly, Sumire tried to convey her determination. Hands clenched by her sides, she stared defiantly up into Senpai's black eyes.

Ren sighed heavily. "Let me pursue some other options tonight. If nothing comes from it, we'll see if you can make a connection tomorrow."

The meeting ended shortly from there. They had very little to discuss. Assuming Makoto wouldn't turn them in, they left shortly after feeling more determined, and angry at the gang, than scared.

"Senpai…"

"I had a feeling you wanted to talk to me." Ren smirked.

"Haha…" Laughing weakly, Sumire struggled not to blush. "I'm sorry for my behaviour today. It was unacceptable."

Senpai shrugged. He didn't appear concerned about it. "I don't think you were necessarily wrong. In a different situation, threatening them may have been the correct choice."

"I-I see…" Shuffling awkwardly, Sumire trailed beside him as they slowly began moving. As Sumire worried that their time was coming to an end, Senpai ignored the platforms and approached what appeared to be a smoothie stand instead. "…Senpai?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, what flavour do you want?"

"W-Whatever is fine…"

"You got it. Hello, two medium Strawberry delights please."

"Ohh…" Muttering to herself, Sumire realized that once again, Senpai had taken her seriously. It was the kind of thing that Kasumi would do. "Umm, please let me pay for it Senpai…"

"No, I got it."

For some reason Sumire couldn't understand, Senpai looked a little guilty. _Does he get an allowance from somewhere?_ "Are you sure, Senpai?"

"Yes, I have it." Indeed, Senpai easily produced the requisite coins and slid them over the counter.

Narrowing her eyes, Sumire knew she was missing something. _Actually, where does he get new gear for the metaverse from?_ Positive she was on the correct path now, Sumire was distracted by a cup that was thrust in front of her face.

"Here."

"T-Thanks." Stuttering from surprise, Sumire stared into the thick red substance. It was darker than her hair and eyes, but still vibrant in its own way. Taking a sip, Sumire smiled as the cold sugary deliciousness coated her mouth.

"I want you to know, I didn't intentionally leave you out of the study group. I kind of got roped into it at the last minute."

"Hmm?" Taking another sip, Sumire couldn't find any anger at the moment. Maybe having something to do with the food that she had recently received. "Oh, no, it's fine. You had some smart people with you."

"Yeah… I guess I did." Senpai agreed reluctantly. "But if you want… we can study together sometime."

"S-Sure…" Sumire flushed, drinking some more cold liquid to cool her cheeks off. "Umm, can we also do… other, err, things, together?"

Senpai tilted his head. "Of course. I mean, we saw a movie that one time. What else did you want to do?"

"Uhh…" Sumire felt her mind shut down briefly. _This is all it takes!?_ Unsure how to feel, Sumire really wanted a pause button. If she could just stop time and come up with the perfect answer, she was sure… But inexorably, time ticked on. Every second that passed by, Senpai's smile grew more strained.

Forcing her mouth open, Sumire talked about a random memory. "M-My sister was good at batting cages when we were younger. I-I never got the hang of it. M-Maybe if you were to teach me though?"

Senpai raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "There's one by my house. Want to come over?"

"EHH!?" Shrieking, Sumire's hands shook with nerves. Thankfully, the drink was helping cool her head, literally. "S-Sure. Of course, if you're busy…"

"Nah," Senpai denied, probably untruthfully. "I feel like I've studied enough for a month."

"W-Well sports is a great way to aid in memory retention!" Sumire recited faithfully. "Now that we have all our nutrients, it should be easy!"

That got a laugh from Senpai. Watching him now, Sumire wondered if she wasn't the only one that had fought through problems. His stoicism from before was fading day by day. More smiles, more gestures of warmth. It was only when she looked back now could she see the difference. No doubt to most people he still seemed mysterious and hard to read.

What Sumire didn't understand—what she lacked the confidence to comprehend—was that she was the _only_ person to have noticed this change.

Still, Sumire was a mix of nerves and joy as she followed Senpai back to his residence in Jongen-Jaya. As such, as they sat close together on the post-rushhour train, Sumire scanned her brain for something to say. Unfortunately, she was struggling.

" _Jongen-Jaya, next stop is Jongen-Jaya."_

"Ah, here we are."

As Senpai stood up, Sumire finally noticed the discrepancy. "Where's Morgana?"

"Morgana?" Senpai shrugged. "No idea. He's his own person. Maybe he finally got the courage to ask Ann out."

"R-Really?" Sumire asked intrigued. "Would Morgana go live at her house?"

"It's possible." Senpai shrugged again, appearing to not care. However, Sumire was sure she saw a brief flash of distress at the thought. After two months together, no doubt living by himself again would be boring. "I think he prefers the freedom here. Sojiro leaves Morgana's care entirely to me which means he can come and go as he pleases."

"I see…"

"Does that disappoint you?" Senpai asked. His question uncomfortably accurate for Sumire.

"N-No, of course not!" Shaking her head frantically, Sumire assuaged Senpai's query. There was some truth to it. More than once Sumire had found herself wishing there was an easy way to talk to Senpai without Morgana listening in. Even now, she could remember with horror the things she had said in front of Morgana before knowing he was anything more than a cat.

Senpai smirked. Then, a brief guilty look flashed across his eyes as he looked around Jongen. "To be honest with you… It can be a little strange having a sentient pet around."

"I can imagine…" Sumire muttered sympathetically. And really, she could. Having a sister as close as Kasumi, Sumire knew what it was like to have no separation from someone.

"I'm sure," Senpai nodded. "To be honest, I still struggle with how to treat him…"

Surprised by Senpai's honesty, Sumire took an unconscious half step closer to his side. "Well, he says he's a human, so treat him as one I suppose."

"Yes," Senpai said wryly, "well if a human tried to sleep on top of me, I'd probably punch them."

"Ahaha…" Laughing it off, Sumire did feel bad that she didn't have a better answer for him. The situation was very strange and there was no precedent to daw on.

"Well, here we are."

"Oh." Sumire found herself staring at a strange staircase. She never would have expected anything to be here with a faded sign hanging above the entrance. Entering the strange staircase, Sumire tried not to shiver at the rough surroundings. The metal stairs rattled beneath their footsteps and Sumire thought she could see mold beneath the faded, peeling paint.

Coming up to the top, it opened into a slightly better-kept, warmer room. Sitting behind a wooden bench, a bored looking attendant greeted them. Sumire couldn't reply as her eyes found the hand-painted sign detailing the various speeds available. She was sure it was _possible_ but seeing speeds in excess of 100 km/hr did nothing to encourage her.

"We'll do the beginner one," Senpai said, handing across a bit of money.

"Have fun," was his only answer.

Letting Senpai lead her on, Sumire knew that he had been here before by how easily he found the bats and handed her one. "I'd let you choose, but every bat is a replica."

"Oh, I'll trust you on that then." Taking the wooden thing, Sumire felt uncomfortable with it in her hands. It was far heaver than any of the props she used. The way the wood dug into her hands was strange.

"Umm, should I go first?"

"Y-Yes please." Letting it fall by her side, Sumire watched as Senpai donned a helmet and strode onto the other side of the netting. Out here, Sumire could see the brilliance of the location. By converting the roof into a batting ring, the owners had found a cheap spot that worked well.

It was non-traditional in the fact that normal batting chambers tended to be more of a linear line. They reduced space to maximize efficiency. This repurposed roof meanwhile was an open area with a giant net that allowed you to better track where your hit went. To compliment this, there was a target in the middle of the far net near the top.

Senpai stepped up to the plate and called back to her. "Uh, get into a comfortable stance, bat back. Then, when it pitches the ball…"

Trailing off, Sumire saw the moment his body seemed to tense with energy. It was matched with the noise of the machine. Barely a second later, a sharp crack split the air. The baseball became visible again as it bounced off the net well right of the target.

"…Just swing." Senpai finished, somewhat lamely.

"Err, got it." Feeling even more nervous, Sumire watched as Senpai finished his set of five. He ended up hitting three. No targets.

Watching him wave her on, Sumire hesitantly stepped forward. Once there, left staring at the machine, Sumire had no faith in her abilities. This was Kasumi's thing, not hers. She had no business here.

_Cling!_

With a metal noise, followed by a hollow, rubber noise, a ball blazed toward her. "Eep!" Panicking, Sumire took a step back. However, the ball soared perfectly through the center of the plate. Feeling foolish, Sumire walked back into position.

Only a desire to not appear pathetic before Senpai kept her here. Raising the bat behind her, Sumire could tell it was shivering in her shaky hands.

_Cling!_

The second ball came and passed. The bat didn't even shift from its position.

"Umm, Sumire?"

"J-Just warming up, Senpai!"

"Alright… you can do this by the way. I know you can."

_Cling!_

"Huh?" Whirling to look at him, Sumire completely missed the third ball as well.

"Seems like I distracted you…"

"Oh no!" Sumire waved him off, looking back to the machine. "Thank you for your kind words!" Feeling a warmth flowing through her arms, the bat was no longer shaking.

_Cling!_

Eyes focussed, Sumire saw the ball leave the machine. "Huff!" Exhaling sharply, Sumire put all her strength into the bat and swung.

"Ahh!" Getting pulled off balance by her swing, Sumire staggered two steps to the side before falling over. Hunching there in embarrassment, Sumire stayed there as the fifth ball came and went.

With the session over, Senpai came out to greet her. "That was a good effort. Your swing was a little high and early, but definitely fixable. Make sure to put more energy into your hips, not just your arms. It's a transfer of momentum."

"I'll… try and remember."

"Enough moping," Senpai chastised lightly. "Up you go."

"Huh?" Feeling hands beneath her shoulders, Sumire's face darkened with a rapid influx of blood. "S-Senpai!?"

Screeching did nothing to stop her situation as she got picked up and placed back on her feet.

"Come on, back to the plate."

Shuffling forward under his prodding, Sumire began to wonder if the ball had knocked her unconscious and she was now in a dream. Senpai never got this physical with her.

Standing at the plate, Sumire obediently lifted the bat back into its correct position. It was shaking again, but for a very different reason this time.

"You're going to want to stop that," Senpai told her. Feeling his hand on hers, the pressure reduced the motion. "Good. Slightly bend your knees, back straight…"

"Ahh…" Exhaling sharply, Sumire couldn't move as she felt Senpai's arms wrap around her. His hands coming together around hers.

"Then when you're ready, rotate down."

Allowing him to guide her, Sumire completed the swing and follow through. All she could focus on was the warmth of his hands. The heat of his breath, tickling her neck. How his proximity made her heart quicken.

"That's good, take a practice swing without me."

"Ahh…" Breathing out again, this one was more of a sigh. As he disengaged and walked back behind the net, Sumire felt his absence keenly.

_If I pretend to not understand, will he do it again?_

Cursing at her own foolishness, Sumire did as instructed. She wouldn't impress Senpai by acting like an idiot. Determined to show him her potential, Sumire swung hard at nothing. Unlike before, the rotation of her hips and stance kept her upright.

"Looking good. Let's start the set."

_Cling!_

Staring down the device, Sumire saw the flash of white leather tearing through the air. Waiting for it, she tried to replicate the swing. The bat that had moved so quickly before felt lethargic when trying to connect with the supersonic ball. It hit the net behind her well before her bat was in position.

"A little late, you're doing good though!"

_Cling!_

Waiting for the supersonic baseball, Sumire swung. Her bat whooshed through the air and a second later, the ball entered the same path.

"Eye on the ball," Senpai reminded her gently.

_Cling!_

Narrowing her eyes, Sumire focussed intently. _I can do this!_ Body pumping with adrenaline from Senpai, Sumire was determined to complete this task. Even if all she did was hit one measly ball.

_Whoosh!_ A miss.

_Cling!_

_Whoosh!_

_Cling!_

_Whoosh!_

After the fifth ball and fifth miss occurred, Sumire lowered her bat. She had failed. Lowering her head, she sighed deeply. "I guess I can't do it…"

"Is that seriously it?"

Sumire was shocked by the confusion and borderline anger in Senpai's voice. Turning to gaze at him through the mesh net, Sumire was taken in by his eyes. Usually soft pools that stole her soul, they had hardened into unyielding obsidian.

"You went into the metaverse by yourself, without a persona, didn't only survive, but began to work your way through it! You drove off the cognitive version of your sister and defeated our principal. Now you give up because you failed a couple of times?"

"S-Senpai…"

Unable to look away, Sumire stared as he got closer. Hands gripping the net, he leaned in until the mesh was tight around his glasses. "You wanted to do this, right? So do it. You aren't inferior to Kasumi."

Gulping, Sumire struggled to react. Her lips trembled, words forming and dissipating. The whole time, Senpai was staring at her. Not at Kasumi's sister, but at Sumire. He saw the girl who loved to cook, the girl who could never match her sister's athletic brilliance.

"I'm starting the next set."

As Senpai walked away, Sumire felt like she'd been freed. Naturally, her body moved back to the plate. Bat up, poised and ready to swing. Not full of tension, but an easy athletic grace.

_Cling!_

Keeping her eye on the ball, Sumire swung.

_Whoosh!_

She had been too low. The ball passing a handsbreadth above the bat. Taking it in stride, Sumire lifted the bat again. Her lithe arms aching mildly from the repetitions. Yet it was a familiar pain of a long routine.

_Cling!_

_Whoosh!_

Too high. She had overcorrected her height and the ball had been lower this time. It may take the same horizontal path, but its height changed. Sumire only now was realizing.

Three balls left.

_Cling!_

_Whoosh!_

Early again. Pursing her lips, Sumire felt some of her previous defeatism return. There were too many variables. The chances of her connecting were too low.

As if no longer listening to her mind, Sumire's body raised the bat yet again. If she could see herself, Sumire would have been shocked by how natural she looked. For someone completely unused to baseball, achieving this kind of form in ten minutes of practice was surreal.

_Cling!_

_Whoosh!_

Fourth ball gone, one left.

Sumire's mind was blank. Only she and the ball existed. The bat had become an extension of her.

_Cling!_

_Clack!_

With the resounding sound of leather on wood, the white ball rebounded on contact. Sumire's arms jolted with the shock of the impact, ruining her follow-through.

The ball popped up in a small arc, hitting the ground just shy of the far net. Out on a diamond, it would have rolled to a halt around the pitcher's mound. That did nothing to dissuade Sumire's rush of excitement.

"S-Senpai! I did it!"

Jumping up and down, Sumire hugged the bat to her chest. Turning away from the machine, Sumire left the protected area and threw herself at Ren.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Sumire hung onto him and the bat together.

"Gah!" Simultaneously getting choked out and having a wooden bat shoved into his spine, Ren could only stagger under the weight.

"Hehe!" Continuing to laugh, Sumire's rush of emotions overpowered her logical side that was slowly beginning to overheat. "I've never hit one before!"

"T-That's great…" Ren choked out. "I'll cheer you on… from the afterlife…"

"Huh? Ahh, Senpai! Your face is blue!"

Releasing her chokehold, Sumire peered down at Senpai who had fallen against the wall. Tilting her head quizzically, she didn't understand the strange colouring. It wasn't like…

Thoughts coming to a head, Sumire began to slowly heat-up as her elation faded. Bringing a hand to her mouth, she squeaked. "I-I'm so sorry!"

"No, it's fine," Senpai replied with a half-dead smile. "Just give me a minute."

"Oh, I guess I should return this…" Still clutching the bat, Sumire almost didn't want to see it go. Minutes earlier she had picked it out of an identical line-up at random. Now it felt special. This was the bat she had hit her first ball with.

With reluctant motions, Sumire put it back. Her hand delaying as she touched the pommel one final time. _Thank you._ Putting her earnest thoughts into it, Sumire left it behind. She hoped it would help more people like her in need of a confidence boost.

"You seem attached to it."

"Ahh!" Whirling in surprise, Sumire hadn't seen Senpai begin to move. "N-No… well yes. It helped me a lot."

Senpai began to smirk as if a clever comment was forming. Shortly after he closed his mouth and nodded. "It helped you because you trusted it. These things go both ways you know."

"Hehe, you sound very wise Senpai." As she spoke, Sumire remembered the moment they had shared earlier. Not when he had touched her, but when he _saw_ her. The words he had spoken. Flushing deeply, Sumire bowed her head away from him. "Umm, thank you."

"For what?"

"For… For being you Senpai." Before the last dregs of courage fled her, Sumire took a step to the side and leaned her head on his shoulder. It was only for a moment, they had to make way for the next players, but for now it was enough.

* * *

_Wednesday June 15_ _th_ _, 20XX Afterschool_

Ren took a deep breath before entering the café. It had a modern design with clean, white walls. Ren assumed it was based off a western style. These details and more flitted through his head as a way of distracting him from the pressing issue.

"Who do you think this second person is?" Morgana asked from the bag.

Jolted, Ren stared at the cat. He often forgot about Morgana these days. For hours at a time Morgana would nap silently in his bag before coming out and interjecting like now.

"I have no idea." Replying quietly so the people on the street wouldn't hear him, Ren squared his shoulders and entered. Almost instantly he found the person he was looking for. A cool, tailored suit worn expertly to enhance the aura of a boy who was still a teenager. His straight brown hair perfectly mussed to create a boyish charm.

Feeling like his total opposite, Ren strode over. As he arrived at the table, Ren found the second person that Goro had brought. "K-Kasumi!?"

"Ren-Senpai!? _You're_ the one who wants Akechi's help?"

Goro smirked at that, taking a small sip of his black coffee all the while. Confused by this strange occurrence, Ren had been expecting a second detective, or an officer.

Just yesterday, after parting ways with Sumire, Ren had shot Akechi Goro a message asking if they could meet. Ensuring him that it was urgent. In short order, the detective replied saying that he knew what it was about and asked if he could bring someone along. Even with ten chances, Ren would never have guessed that Kasumi was the one he would bring.

Sitting at the table, Ren struggled not to shift in anticipation. This felt suspiciously like a trap, except Ren couldn't figure out how it could be one. After only a moment of silence, Ren spoke first—he didn't want to give Goro a chance to set anything up.

"I guess I should feel honoured to have the superstar duo who defeated the evil principal talking to me."

Kasumi reacted with a modest laugh, but Goro simply smirked again.

"No need, Ren. You gave me enough to think on to justify my aid one time."

"Aid?" Ren replied. "I just wondered if you had time to meet up."

Aid. That was the word that had set Ren's instincts off. Goro had told Kasumi that someone was coming here today to get his help. Ren hadn't mentioned needing help in his messages, only that it was important.

"Is this not about the recent crime outbreak in Shibuya targeting students?" Goro riposted.

"It is…" Answering slowly, Ren was glad that a waitress had come over. Ordering a black coffee as well, she bowed slightly and left. "I was wondering if you were looking into it."

"That's all?"

Ren shrugged, trying to not give much away. The last thing he needed was more people figuring out he was involved in the phantom thieves. "Of course. After our discussion the other day, I couldn't help but wonder if you would leave such an important matter in the hands of the phantom thieves."

"Why ask me then?" Goro fired back, his face still a perfect mask of casual conversation. "As a 'Phan', wouldn't you want them to get the credit instead of me?"

"How do you know that's not what I'm doing?" Ren replied, raising a single eyebrow. Taking the coffee that was just arriving, Ren sipped the scalding liquid.

"Oh?" Goro smirked again. "Inviting me out simply to waste time I could be dedicating to solving it? What a droll proposal, now you are wasting my time."

"Try to keep it civil you two," Kasumi interrupted with a mild glare, focussed mainly upon Akechi. "I think Ren-Senpai is right Akechi. You said yourself the police won't act without the right evidence. Can't the two of us _find_ some again?"

"This again?" Goro whined, giving Kasumi a sideways stare.

_They are close…_

Ren had watched the interview on a re-run a while back. The pair had obviously had a connection, but it was hard to tell on shows like that how much was acting. Sitting here, Ren could confirm it was genuine. Even the detective's eyes became a little softer when he stared at Kasumi. So slight, Ren wondered if Goro even knew it was happening.

"You two have clearly discussed this at length…" Ren muttered, leaning back and taking another sip. Waiting for an explanation, Kasumi eventually gave one.

"Well, I'm not the expert, but since _Akechi_ isn't saying anything…" Sighing, Kasumi took another drink and crossed her legs. Back straight, hair tied back, she struck an imposing figure despite her diminutive height. "Essentially, leaders of organized crime units, like this gang in Shibuya, tend to exist in a ceasefire with the police. Neither of them want an encounter."

"I'm sorry?" Ren asked confused.

"Err…" Kasumi stared at Akechi, looking for help.

"It's the nature of organized crime," Goro said coldly. "They control a region of the city, supply the drug addicts. The police can arrest the traffickers, the sellers, confiscate the drugs, but those are temporary solutions. Sometimes creating more problems than they solve.

"I could continue, many studies outline how a government can fix the underlying issues, reducing crime but…" Trailing off, Goro shrugged.

"So, what you are saying is that the police _don't want_ to arrest this gang boss?"

"Oh no, they absolutely do," Goro smiled wryly. "Kaneshiro Junya is a big prize. The thing about people like that is they tend to be hard to arrest. _They_ break very few laws. It tends to be their subordinates that do the trades and trafficking. His crimes tend to be extortion and probably tax evasion."

_Kaneshiro Junya… The bastard even has money in his name._

"Can't the police arrest him on that?" Ren replied. It still seemed like more than enough for him.

Goro shook his head as if Ren had said some humorous. "No witnesses would testify. As soon as they attempt it and fail, he's gone for good."

"That's so messed up," Ren almost growled. He was surprised by how angry he was at the detective's words. As if the law was just made that way. No, it was more accurate to say that this man was _above_ the law.

"Agreed," Kasumi sighed. "Sometimes I just wished that things could work."

"Never going to happen." Goro said. "People are greedy, they want things. As such, there will always be people that aren't content with what they have and break the law to achieve their desires."

"I suppose…" Ren murmured with a slight smile. "Then it is helpful we have the phantom thieves to help out."

Both of the table's other occupants shot Ren a baleful stare. However, in light of the law's failings, neither of them offered a swift rebuttal.

"That is the crux of today's question, isn't it?" Goro asked. "Who will stop Kaneshiro first. The police, or the phantom thieves?"

"Doesn't appear to be much a race with the police not doing anything," Ren shot back instantly.

Goro raised an eyebrow. "You sound confident that the thieves will act."

_Idiot!_

Cursing himself, Ren swiftly came up with something. "I have faith in them. They've dealt with criminals in this area pretty swiftly. There are already posts on the phansite asking them to deal with the gang situation in Shibuya."

_I'm so lucky I checked the website._

His explanation appeared to have convinced Kasumi. Goro, however, merely preened further.

"So why come here? Unless you were being serious about delaying me? But I doubt that."

Ren debated briefly but went with the truth. "Just because I have faith doesn't mean I can't do my part to help them. The phantom thieves have only targeted people they have names for. You've provided me with what I need."

"Hmm, plausible I suppose." Goro seemed excited by Ren's ready answer. "For a moment I was worried that you were planning on taking on a crime boss by yourself. You have quite a fearsome reputation at school, or so I hear."

"I did not say that!" Kasumi pouted. "I said we were improving his… err."

_What was that?_

Glancing at Kasumi, Ren was sure there was something about _him_ in that statement. Was Kasumi dabbling in things he was doing? Now that he thought about it, Makoto and Kasumi had looked pretty proud of themselves when they had asked him to study the other day…

Perhaps catching Ren's stare, Kasumi shuffled in her seat. "A-Anyway Akechi. Enough of these hypotheticals. What are we doing about this problem? I won't sit around and watch my fellow classmates get extorted!"

Goro simply met her stare. "What do you want to do?"

"I… I think we need to collect more evidence on the leader. Taking in one of the underlings isn't going to do anything. We need something big to draw him out and catch him red-handed."

Ren was impressed by the fervent speech. It was eerily similar to how Sumire had declared her intention to act as bait to find the leader. It made Ren wonder why the girls were always focussing on their differences rather than how similar they were.

"Umm, Ren-Senpai?"

Getting caught staring, Ren blinked awkwardly. "O-Oh, I-I was just thinking about what Sumire would say if she was in your position."

"Oh, probably something about getting help," Kasumi shrugged. While the comment was probably meant to be disparaging, Kasumi did tilt her head thoughtfully. "I guess that is what I've resorted to doing."

"How so?" Ren asked.

"By getting you two to help me!"

"…Huh?" For once Goro looked as lost as Ren did. Sharing a glance with the detective… This wouldn't work. More than that, Ren didn't want to work with them. They represented the other side of what Ren did. He was the vigilante that worked outside the law after the law failed him. Goro had bent the law to arrest the principal out of, as far as Ren could tell, a desire for popularity.

"I think…" Goro said slowly, "that this would best be left to the professionals. These people are far more dangerous than a rogue teacher or principal. These people can make a person disappear.

"Japan may be one of the safest countries when it comes to crimes and guns, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its darker sides. Take my advice and stay out of this Kasumi. Focus on gymnastics."

"I…"

Ren could practically see the internal conflict raging in her mind. The person she used to be combatting with the person she was now.

"I understand. I'll stay out of it on one condition."

Ren was taken aback by the declaration. Kasumi was a force of nature, you either got out of her way or directed her, you couldn't stop her. Yet Goro was appearing to do just that.

"What's that?" The detective asked.

"You give this case your all. You find charges that stick."

"Ah…"

_Never mind, he got rolled over as well._

The detective took a calming sip of coffee. "I'm, not sure I can Kasumi… I'm already working with the police on the phantom thieves' case and…"

"Why?" Kasumi shot back. "They aren't a concern right now. The thieves _may_ be criminals. These people definitely are. Don't they take priority."

"I-I'd agree, but I need to discuss it with upper management of course and I…"

"Well, you have no deal from me then," Kasumi concluded smugly.

Ren hid his smile behind his cup. The detective's stricken face was priceless. The façade he'd worn through the entire interview Ren had been in the audience for had crumpled. No, that wasn't quite right, it was blasted apart by hurricane Kasumi.

Goro actually _blushed_ slightly when he caught Ren's eyes. To see the detective trounced so thoroughly was quite a sight to behold. Kasumi as well, was shimmering with pride in her own tactical brilliance.

"Fine," the detective sighed. "I will ask around and pressure the department to help, as well as preach leniency for the involved students. On no occasion, however, do I want you trying to do something by yourself."

"Deal," Kasumi crowed, having received everything she had hoped for. "Oh, and Ren-Senpai? Sounds like you're a helpful guy, here for the phantom thieves and all…"

_Uh oh._

"I'll be counting on you to land a hand in the future as well, okay?"

_How can anyone say no to that wink…_

Not trusting his mouth, Ren simply nodded. He'd gotten what he had come for, yet part of him wondered if he hadn't lost in the end. Either way, he'd have to be careful to avoid drawing suspicion from these two in the future.

Wondering if that was even possible, Ren finished the dregs of his coffee; the cat in his bag completely forgotten.

* * *

_Thursday June 16_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

Stomping along, Sumire trudged by herself through the Shibuya alley. It was getting late, too late probably. Still, she didn't want to give up. Surely her student uniform was like a beacon to these people.

Despite her umbrella, her sleeves and cuffs were wet. Rain could come from weird angles in a metropolis like this. With the cloud cover, the city was dark with the exception of streetlamps and store lights. Unconcerned, mobs of people still crowded through here, finishing whatever business that they needed.

It looked so peaceful that Sumire found it hard to believe what it had looked like in the other world. Showing up with information on the crime boss's name, the phantom thieves had successfully located and entered the palace. That's where the trouble began.

A giant floating bank. No, it was more like a vacuum cleaner. It sucked up the poor citizens hard-earned cash from below into it and relinquished nothing. All the while it stayed in a place of total security.

The level of reality-warping distortion was on a level they hadn't seen before. No doubt this palace would be by far the hardest they had ever faced—if they could ever reach it.

That's where Sumire's job came in. She had to secure a way into that bank. To change the boss's perception such that he _knew_ Sumire was a client and could access the bank. Risky, foolhardy, many adjectives had been thrown around. Either way, Sumire was doing this. Every day was another chance for a student to get extorted. Even worse, Sumire had just heard about the girls that were forced to pay their debts by selling their bodies. They were trapped in a slippery slope with no light at the end.

_Like I was._

Determined to not let them fall prey to the same emotions that had almost ruined Sumire's life, she continued to loiter in Shibuya. Currently in an alley with a gym, she looked across the way into another alleyway. If what she heard from Ryuji-Senpai was true, then down there was the store that Senpai used to upgrade their metaverse gear.

Sumire had only considered it briefly until now, but where did Senpai get the money? It was reminiscent of her dilemma with the smoothies yesterday. Senpai was hiding something from them, but what exactly it was, Sumire wasn't sure. She would be less anxious if Senpai would just tell her if he had enough money for everyone. She'd share her allowance with him if the stubborn man just asked!

"Wow, what's a student like you doing out here this late?"

"Huh?" Lost in her thoughts, Sumire spun, putting her back against the cold, damp wall. Two tall men were standing in front of her. Both of them had the same shit-eating grin on their faces. It was similar to the one Ryuji often wore, except these had a tinge of malice. It made Sumire wonder how they ever actually collected anyone. Already she wanted to run away.

"Hey baby, pretty face like that… I know a way you can make a bunch of money. Real easy too."

"O-Oh…" Biting hard on her tongue, Sumire forced the words back. She couldn't afford to run away here. "M-Money you say? Umm, how?"

"Oh, nothing much babe," the first one spoke again. He was wearing a gaudy metal chain around his neck overtop a yellow sweatshirt. The threads were pulling with dark stains on the surface—Sumire hoped they were food.

"Yeah, yeah, suuuper easy!" The second agreed, leaning one arm against the wall. This one had a black hoodie zipped halfway up his chest over a light blue shirt. His baggy jeans had a chain hanging from the left side.

They didn't scream gangster, but it was obvious they weren't very reputable. Sumire could understand now why the police weren't very sympathetic with the students. They had to have known when they got into it that this operation was far from legal.

"T-That sounds good! My parents don't give me very much…" To Sumire the lie sounded fairly obvious, but it was all that came to her. Why did students want money? She wasn't sure. The realization that she was so out of touch with the student body was disheartening.

"Oh yeah," yellow sweatshirt continued, "then you're going to _love_ this. Maybe later we can go shopping together, get you into a bunch of different outfits."

"M-My wardrobe does need some expanding…"

_Where are they going with this!?_

Sumire wanted to give up. To apologize and run away. The heavy scent of cologne mixed with their predatory aura to create an environment Sumire wanted to flee. It was too different, so strange. She had no experience here, she couldn't succeed.

_B-But I hit a ball!_

Indeed, the noise and sensation of that moment was perhaps the only thing that kept Sumire standing here. That and how much Senpai believed in her. Eating away at her confidence was the fact that she didn't get a dozen do-overs here. There was one chance, and if blew it, she was done.

"Yeah, yeah, for sure!" Hoodie guy winked. "So, me and my buddy here are pretty busy guys. We don't got time to be everywhere. I got a bag here that I need you to deliver for me. Think you can do that?"

"Yupp! You do that, I got 10 big ones lined up!" Yellow finished.

_10,000 yen!_

It wasn't an insane amount of money, but it was a decent chunk, especially to a high school student; even Sumire understood that. More so for a job that sounded so innocent. "W-Well, don't I need to sign some papers first? Meet your boss? Work out some hours?"

"Uhh…" The two men looked at each other dumbfounded. "Paper?"

"Y-You know, for taxes?"

"T-Taxes, yeah…" The two men fell silent and stared at each other. Sumire wasn't privy to their thoughts, but she thought she understood. They were debating whether or not to give up on her. Unfortunately, she had no idea what to say that would get them to bring her to Kaneshiro.

"Let me call."

"You sure? What if…"

"Shut it."

The exchange was terse, but Sumire felt rising glee battling with increasing anxiety. There was a very real chance that she was about to cross a point of no return.

A short call later, sweatshirt came back with a more nervous smile. "Hey sweetie, what do you say about a car ride?"

"To umm, meet your boss?" Hesitant, Sumire couldn't believe she was about to do it.

"Something about that." The man assured her poorly.

Pausing, Sumrie's hesitancy and fear battled with her new confidence. _I can do this! This is way easier than invading a palace!_

Mind made up, Sumire was interrupted just before she could accept.

"Yoshizawa! There you are!"

"Ehh? S-Student council president?"

"Huh? Another one," hoodie muttered, standing straight up. His posture contained an energy that it had been lacking earlier. "What do you want, girl? Can't you see that we're doing a business transaction?"

"Yes, student council president, _I'm fine._ " Sumire hissed at the girl, hoping Makoto would get the hint and back off.

"Err…" The girl relented half a step, but her eyes were burning with a determination that was familiar to Sumire. "I-I'm coming with you!"

"Why?" Sweatshirt asked warily.

Thinking quickly, Sumire decided to honour Makoto's wishes. "Those rumours about you needing a bunch of money were true? I'd have never guessed."

"Huh? What, ahh! Y-Yes! Money! I need it…"

_She's a horrible liar…_

From one bad liar to another, Sumire felt qualified to make that judgement. Thankfully, the thugs appeared to be a hurry and didn't particularly care.

"Get in the car."

Getting pushed together, Sumire gambled to whisper once into the president's ear. "I hope you know what you've signed up for…"

* * *

Ps. It's still super weird to me to call Akechi by his given name.


	17. Real Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note:
> 
> So, this took a while. Had a lot of other things going on that drained my mental energy that usually goes towards writing.  
> Next chapter shouldn't take a month, but we shall see.  
> Enjoy.

Chapter 17: Real Consequences

_Thursday June 16_ _th_ _, 20XX Evening_

"You've really done it now…" Sumire muttered inaudibly, allowing herself to get shoved into the vehicle beside Makoto. Pursing her lips, Sumire was left with nowhere to go as the man slid in beside her. With four of them in the backseat, Sumire was pressed against the thug.

Makoto beside her was in a similar position. There was another thug on the far side of her and Makoto's face spoke volumes about her distress.

As the smaller of the two of them, Sumire didn't give Makoto a choice before sliding into her lap. Maybe Makoto had been expecting it, but the student council president didn't even blink, just slid so that she was positioned in the middle seat, not touching either of the men.

"Hehe, you scared of us?" The one on the right asked with a low chuckle. As the vehicle pulled away, Sumire glanced at him briefly. Once again though, it was hard for her to raise her eyes above his stained yellow sweatshirt.

"Aww, no need to be shy," hoodie pestered from the other side. Whipping her head that way, Sumire blanched slightly as the man slowly began closing the already short distance.

In that moment, the reality of Sumire's situation crashed down upon her. She was trapped in a strange vehicle, heading somewhere she didn't know with men who were proven criminals. Getting extorted would be the least of what would happen to them.

Sumire jumped slightly as she felt Makoto's hands encircle hers. After the momentary surprise, Sumire clenched back just as fervently. As more time ticked on, neither of them replied to the men's entreaties.

"So if they don't reply…"

"That counts as consent, yeah?"

"S-Stop it!" Makoto rebuffed them bravely. "We're here to talk to Kaneshiro, not you lowlifes!"

"…"

Feeling the glares pressing in on her, Sumire tried to whisper to Makoto. "I'd avoid insulting them…"

"What'd you call us?" Sweatshirt asked, leaning in so that his face was inches from theirs.

"Umm, I…"

With Makoto crumbling, Sumire stepped into the gap left behind. It was pointless pretending she was an innocent student at this point. Makoto's arrival and obvious relation to her had crushed any chance of that angle.

"Kaneshiro doesn't take kindly to those that play with his goods."

In an instant, the two men retreated. Both of them were casting guilty looks at the darkened divider that separated the front seat from the back. While they couldn't hear or see the front, it was unlikely the opposite was true.

With the two men pressed against their respective doors, Sumire took a small breath of relief. They should be safe until they found the boss. That was when the danger came.

"Umm, sorry…" Makoto whispered into Sumire's ear.

The close proximity tickled her skin. Sumire could practically feel Makoto's breath. Opening her mouth, Sumire took gazes back and forth at the two men. While sullen, they kept their gazes locked upon the girls. It would be impossible for Sumire to respond without them hearing.

Makoto seemed to understand that and continued. "D-Don't worry, I'm on the phone. They'll get us out of here."

_On the phone!?_

Interest piqued, Sumire gnashed her teeth to avoid speaking out. She was dying to know who it was. But had Senpai really sent Makoto? Sumire wasn't sure how to feel about that. He had been reluctant about the plan, but she found it hypocritical that he would just throw Makoto into the fire with her.

Either way, whether it even was Senpai, Sumire was grateful for the contact. She could only imagine how terrifying it would be to face this on her own. To sit in this vehicle, staring down the leering faces of the men… their suggestive advances.

"Umm… we will be okay… just so you know."

Sumire struggled to contain a giggle at that. Makoto's comforting needed work. _A lot_ of work. Yet, somehow, it did its job. It was so cute it helped Sumire forget the rough start to their relationship the other day.

"Oh shut up with the laughing," hoodie complained. "Honestly, we could have had fun with this, but you had to be so serious…"

Sumire ducked her head at the criticism. She could only imagine what her sister would say in this situation. By the time they arrived at the destination, Kasumi would have them apologizing profoundly and swearing they'd be good boys from now on.

_But I'm not Kasumi…_

Lamenting that fact, Sumire could only hide her face behind a curtain of hair as the man's momentary disgust turned to interest as Sumire didn't reply.

"Please leave us alone." Makoto supplied in Sumire's absence. "We only want to talk to your boss."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Thankfully, despite their grumblings, the men pressed them no further. In short order, the vehicle pulled to a stop. Due to the heavy tinting in the windows, Sumire wasn't exactly sure where it was exactly, bit the short trip time indicated they were still in Shibuya city.

"Out you go, and don't think about running."

Getting pulled, Sumire muffled her complaint. Stepping out of the vehicle, Sumire looked up at the building, desperately hoping to see the location that she had been led to.

"Eep!" Letting out a strangled noise, she was unprepared when a blindfold was pulled over her eyes. Another man began grabbing at her arms. Resisting instinctively, Sumire tried to pull away. "H-Hey what are you- Uff!"

As a piece of cloth got jammed into her mouth, Sumire lost the ability to talk. Fear spiking quickly, Sumire struggled but could do nothing against the older, stronger men who restrained her easily. In no time her arms were tied behind her back and she was pushed forward.

"What are you doing to her!?" Makoto protested.

In short order though, Sumire heard the girl receive the same treatment. She wished she could tell Makoto to not resist, but both her speech and sight had been taken from her. Based on the sounds, Makoto put up a slightly better fight, but outnumbered as she was, the conclusion was determined from the start.

Now blind, Sumire felt lost without the dependable sensation. Her hard-earned balance and precision felt like distant comforts. Any step could run her into an obstacle or a ditch in the ground sending her painfully to the floor without the ability to raise her hands in defense.

"Hurry it up," one of the men growled, pulling at her arm. "Stairs here."

Thanks to the warning and the pulling arm, Sumire allowed her instincts to take over and managed up without any falls. From behind, Makoto appeared to have a similar guide. These men were clearly used to navigating blindfolded people around. That was concerning in a way Sumire didn't want to think about. Either way, they were certainly more professional than the two that she had approached.

Before too long, Sumire was brought to a halt. Tensing up, she expected to have the blindfold removed. However, one familiar beep later, a mechanical whizzing reached her ears. An elevator. Where were they?

Based on the mutters and pushing, Sumire deduced that Makoto was put on the ride as well. It was so hard not knowing where everything was.

With the elevator starting and stopping in a couple of seconds, Sumire was pretty sure they only risen a single floor. Getting out of the elevator, Sumire felt… something. A distant thrumming that vibrated the air. Music?

Nothing she would listen to. Based on the pulsing, it sounded like it was mostly bass with little in the way of anything else.

_A club?_

Sumire wasn't sure if her guess was accurate but it still surprised her. It was rapidly approaching sun down, but the time was still fairly early. Sumire knew little about adult night activities but from what she'd gathered, they tended to be late-night affairs.

Sumire's hunches were confirmed moments later as a nearby door must have been opened and the music began pounding at her strongly. The concussive blows of sound could be physically felt by her body. Not to mention her eardrums which felt like they may burst from the onslaught.

Thankfully, it wasn't too far before they were escorted into another room that had a door. When it finally closed behind them, the blessed almost silence from before returned.

"…Who are these little shits?" A voice drawled, filled with authority.

As the cold, almost creepy voice washed over her, Sumire would have preferred being back in the music. This was clearly the crime boss Junya Kaneshiro. Until now, Sumire still had some confidence in her plan. As she stood before him blind and mute, the remaining hope vanished.

She'd screwed up.

No, that was far too kind. She had really fucked up, and gotten Makoto involved while doing so.

"They wanted to meet you." One of the goons supplied. "Called you out by name."

"…Is that so?" The voice replied, there was a whisper of fabric shifting. Not having the ability to see was grating on Sumire's nerves horribly.

"Let them see."

Sumire wanted to weep tears of gratitude as light flooded her vision. Blinking twice, Sumire's vision quickly adjusted to the dingy chamber. Empty bottles of alcohol were scattered everywhere. To a lesser degree were cigarettes and what Sumire assumed to be even harder drugs.

Swallowing, Sumire knew her knees were shaking. This place was definitely age restricted. She would be in huge trouble if people assumed she had snuck into one. Thankfully though, with her vision restored, Sumire was able to find Makoto who had been placed next to her.

Sharing a look with the older girl, Sumire tried to send a comforting smile. Whether it didn't work or the president was more terrified than her, the girl didn't respond.

"Ugh, high school girls. They think they're sooooo pretty."

Sumire wasn't sure how she missed the woman during her observation of the room. Probably because the fat man took up most of her field of view. Sumire tried not to judge people based on their looks but calling him a fat pig would be an insult to swine everywhere.

Nonetheless, he still had an aura of malice that was transmitted intensely from his beady eyes. The most concerning thing to Sumire was not that Kaneshiro was taking them in and clearly analyzing their bodies. It was that he didn't seem to actually see them. It was like they were nothing more than dollar signs to him. Walking ATMs for him to exploit.

"Yeah yeah, I hear you…" without even glancing at the dolled-up woman Kaneshiro patted her on the knee. Then looking past the girls, Kaneshiro addressed the men behind them. "So, who are they? Any famous connections?"

"Uhh…"

Sumire heard her bag get riffled through. Most likely Makoto's was as well. She had almost forgotten about it after it was taken from her when she got into the car.

"This one is… Yoshizawa Sumire."

"Yoshizawa…" Kaneshiro muttered. "I feel like that name crossed my desk the other day…"

_Desk!?_ Sumire thought affronted. _You have been lounging in a club on a Thursday!_

"This one is… Nijima Makoto… Hey boss, Nijima, isn't that…?"

"Oh yeah it is!" Kaneshiro crowed. "This is that prosecutor's younger sister. Your sister has given me and my boys quite a few headaches. With you in my employ though… It won't be long until she's on her knees paying me back. You understand my meaning?"

"Talking about other women in front of me?" the woman chuckled, appearing completely unconcerned despite her words as she lounged around, playing with her hair. "How naughty."

"Hehe, maybe you can join as well," Kaneshiro added, but appeared uninterested in the woman. "How does it feel knowing that your sister's promising career as a prosecutor is over because of you… How disappointing."

Sumire wished she could talk. Makoto's eyes were despondent and filled with sorrow. Sumire could relate intimately to the feeling of failure that was no doubt eating away at the girl's core.

Feeling the need to do something, Sumire shuffled slowly sideways, not fast enough to draw any of the bodyguard's attention. Getting to Makoto without interference, Sumire leaned her shoulder into the girl.

Finally, Makoto met her eyes. Mouthing the words at her, Sumire tried to convey that everything would be okay. They just had to make out in one piece. If they could manage that, everything could be fixed from the metaverse.

"Hey boss."

"Yeah?"

"I found some info on the other girl."

"Oh?" Kaneshiro smiled nastily. Ever since he had found out about Makoto's connections, his money-searching gaze hadn't left the girl. Now though, he drifted back to Sumire.

"Yeah, she's the sister of Yoshizawa Kasumi. That's the one who is…"

"Ah, yeah! That's right!" The gangster snapped his finger and shook it at Sumire. Strangely though, he didn't seem happy about the information.

Muttering to himself, Sumire could only pick up scraps of words. "Do I dare…?" After a moment of awkward silence, the crime boss raised his head and spoke to the man behind Sumire. "Take her back to wherever you came from. This one is no good."

"…Sir?"

"Just do what I said!" Kaneshiro roared, heaving himself to his feet.

Maybe it was the first time they had actually seen their boss stand up, but the men around Sumire blanched and moved quickly to make his words a reality.

Feeling the blindfold coming for her, Sumire struggled. She didn't know why the crime boss didn't want her anymore, but she refused to leave Makoto alone here.

"Urgh, stop struggle… Ahh!" With her eyesight available, Sumire's foot found his toes. Backing up to the edge of the room, Sumire tugged hard against the ropes. She could feel the coarse material tearing at her skin, but it wouldn't give as she tugged and tugged.

"Come on girly…" The man growled. "Any more struggling and you'll be sorry."

"Don't you dare touch her," Kaneshiro growled, "or I'll be taking the money out of you."

"S-Sir?" The man seemed surprised at the angry rebuke.

Sumire had no idea _why_ she seemed to be special. It didn't make sense for her sister to be some terrifying force. Makoto's sister was an actual prosecutor and that had only made him excited.

_Who does Kasumi know?_

No names came to Sumire's mind, but it wasn't important right now. She had to somehow free her hands and get Makoto out of here. No way would Sumire leave someone behind. Even an almost stranger like the president.

As the rope continued to deny her, Sumire's eyes tracked back and forth between the two encroaching men. They were moving slow but with purpose, waiting for her to dart. Sumire had the impression they had dealt with this before.

Just before they could finish closing in, the door burst open and a flood of people rushed in. Instinctively, Sumire found his eyes. "Senpai…"

_How?_

But that answer was clear as well. A girl that Sumire didn't know was leading the group with a cellphone clutched in her hands, the screen displaying an on-going call.

"You got followed you dipshits," Kaneshiro drawled. Even as his thugs quaked before their boss's anger, he lifted his own phone and began snapping pictures. "Oh yeah, very nice! Got some booze and drugs in there. You've been some naughty students? Haven't… you?"

The crime lord's words trailed off awkwardly. From beneath his tough aura, something else began to surface. It took Sumire only a moment to place it, fear.

"Yo yo… I know you! You're the Okumura girl, yeah!? What the hell is happening here!? Your dad send you? But that doesn't make sense…"

Sumire followed none of the conversation. No, it wasn't even that. The boss was just talking to himself. Everyone in the room was standing there stunned, simply staring at him.

The fluffy haired girl that Sumire assumed he was addressing looked just as confused. The only thing Sumire drew solace from was that the thugs had backed away from her. Other than that, things were looking very dire.

The girl that Kaneshiro addressed took a shaky step forward. "P-Please let my friend go!"

"Hmm… Why should I?" Kaneshiro responded slowly, his beady eyes searching for something.

"B-Because if you don't, we'll call the police on you!"

That got a raised eyebrow from Kaneshiro as he leaned back on the couch, placing an arm around the woman there that snuggled into it naturally.

"The police, huh? So your daddy doesn't know you're talking to me?"

"Of course not." The girl replied innocently. Sumire wanted to facepalm as Kaneshiro's face lit up with delight.

"Ohhh boy! You really are dumb as shit, aren't you? Today's a great day. First, I get that annoying prosecutor's sister, and now big man Okumura himself. So much for his transition!" Kaneshiro laughed alone. Even the goons in the room looked too confused to join in and the woman too high.

"W-What are you saying!?"

Kaneshiro didn't answer immediately, instead he leaned forward and unlocked the briefcase on the table. As the lid sprang open, Sumire's eyes widened into orbs. It was a scene right out of a movie. Each note was 10,000 yen, kept in bundles of 100 for a stack of 1,000,000 yen. Kaneshiro nonchalantly removed three stacks, leaving a small hole in the massive amount of money.

"This should cover that bag, yeah?"

"Oh em gee! You mean it?" Before Kaneshiro could reply, the woman snatched the money and darted out of the room.

"I hate having empty spaces in my briefcase," Kaneshiro smiled nastily. "You shitheads are going to fill it in the next three weeks."

Sumire's stomach turned as his gesture ignored the prominent girl at the front of the group, her cellphone still clutched in her hands.

Turning his smile to the girl, Kaneshiro turned the case around so that she could survey the money inside. "You, Ms. Okumura, better find a way to get your daddy to fill an entire nother one."

"B-But that's…"

Sumire's mind was already going there. She may not have Kasumi's quick thinking about these things, but the math wasn't very hard. Three stacks high, eight stacks wide, five stacks deep. That totalled 120 stacks. Each one was worth 1,000,000 yen giving a total value of 120,000,000 yen. That was enough money to buy a house even in a place as expensive as Tokyo. The value contained in the briefcase was so astronomically high to Sumire's high school brain that she could barely process it.

"Hehe… Now scram!" Kaneshiro yelled, swinging an arm. "I'm sick of looking at y'all."

Finding Senpai's gaze, he nodded at her and gestured for the door. Letting him guide her out, Sumire found herself walking beside Makoto. Unfortunately, they were both still muzzled, so Sumire was forced to resort to nodding to convey her gratitude at how Makoto had come to her rescue. Even if the end result had been essentially the same.

Walking down a flight of stairs, they exited out into a dingy parking lot. Almost instantly, Sumire felt Senpai's hands on her. First removing the gag and finally the restraining ropes around her wrists. Before she could pull them in front of her, Sumire felt Senpai's hands tracing the rub marks that she'd given herself.

"They were rough with you?"

There was such a strong undercurrent of deadly calm in Senpai's whisper that Sumire shook her head. She didn't want him running back in and getting beaten up or worse. "I did that trying to escape."

"I see…"

Sumire was sure there was more he wanted to say, but the group meeting began in earnest. Ryuji's loud voice drawing order and centralizing focus on this girl that Sumire didn't know.

"This plan was crazy! And what the fuck was that about your father? Why did the creepy bastard know you?"

"Umm…"

"T-Thank you Haru…" Makoto muttered, clearly embarrassed. "This is all my fault…"

"N-No, we had to rescue Sumire right? That was what you said…"

"Actually… How did you two run into each other?" Makoto asked.

It was something Sumire was wondering as well. Makoto had clearly not been sent by Senpai, but had taken matters into her own hands by staying on the phone with Haru and then getting taken along with Sumire to the location of Kaneshiro.

"We just happened to bump into each other," Senpai explained, pushing up his glasses. "It made the most sense to come together."

"Uh, can we focus?" Ryuji spoke again, barely short of yelling. "Why the hell does that dude think you can get him 120 mil!?"

"Honestly…" Haru spoke awkwardly, "I could probably get far more. Although… my father is acting weird lately. He may not help me…"

"Wait…" Ryuji said, holding up a hand. "You mean to tell me that you're a multi-millionaire and you're attending our shitty school?"

"Umm… Have you heard of Bug Bang Burger?"

"Of course!" Ann broke in. "Their shakes are so good! I love getting one after a photo shoot!"

"…My Father is the CEO of Okumura foods, the company that owns Big Bang Burger."

"No way!" Yusuke gasped. "Imagine being able to eat such food at any time for free!"

Sumire was too stunned by the knowledge to reply to Yusuke's odd comment. But for such an innocent, normal looking girl to have such a prestigious lineage seemed strange somehow. For once she found herself agreeing with Ryuji, why was this girl at Shujin?

"B-Big Bang Burger!?" Ryuji stuttered. While he was the only one that spoke, his astonishment was shared by everyone there minus Yusuke. Haru shifted uncomfortably under everyone's stares.

"Umm… Please don't worry about the debt, I'll inform my father and hope he helps me resolve this…"

Sumire blinked at that. She would have expected the opposite reaction. Anger that she had gotten dragged into such a situation. By the way Makoto's shoulders were sagging, she had been expecting the same. "Senpai…"

Although the word was whispered quietly, Senpai nodded at her. "We can't let you do that, Haru. While your plan with Makoto was certainly risky, the two of you have garnered Kaneshiro's attention and become essential to taking him down… If you agree to help."

"Help you?" The girl answered with a weak laugh. Her eyes shone with a dull light. It wasn't despair, not yet anyway, She was rejecting her current circumstances. Her mind refused to believe what had happened.

_Well, if Senpai's doing what he sounded like… she'll have a lot more to get used to._

"They're the Phantom thieves," Makoto spoke bitterly, raising the tension in the group with the bold declaration. "That's why I wanted to do this. Not just to help out Sumire… They needed a contact to the crime boss for some reason."

"T-They're the…" Haru trailed off, mouth gaping as she analyzed the tense group. Even Ryuji was quiet now. Slowly, everyone's gaze tracked to Senpai; even Haru's as she took cues from the group.

With the attention on him, Senpai just nodded once. The gesture doing more to confirm it than any audible speech could.

"Wait… So Kasumi was being serious when she said you stole hearts?"

"HUH!?" Bolting upright at that, Sumire gazed wide-eyed between the two of them.

_Senpai hadn't mentioned this!?_

_When did he tell Kasumi!?_

Feeling Sumire's intent gaze upon him, Senpai quickly shook his head back and forth. "N-No, Kasumi doesn't know. She was just being herself and making statements that can be easily misconstrued."

"Hmm…" Muttering, Sumire leaned back with a frown. All she could do was trust Senpai. Still, she had to assume Kasumi didn't know; if her sister did, she would probably tie Sumire to her bed until she promised quit.

"Now that I think about it… you were all gathered in Shibuya the other day when Mako-chan went to talk to you…"

"Yeah," Makoto sighed, "I kind of confronted them about it."

"T-That's very risky," Haru gaped at the girl. "Is that why you looked so scared?"

"Heh, yeah, Sumire reminded me of my foolishness." Makoto agreed with a self-deprecating smile.

All the while, Sumire felt the familiar shame rise within her at what she had done. For some reason, panicking in that moment, she had lashed out and used fear.

"Ignoring that," Senpai interrupted. Sumire watched him as he glanced around the building they were still right outside of. Thankfully, the back parking lot was away from the street and was still empty before the true high time, but it was time for them to leave. "We should get out of here. Before we split, I'll ask formally. Haru, Makoto. Neither of you are officially part of the phantom thieves, nor do you have the power to aid in the change of heart, however, you have something we need. Will one of you agree to help us in this endeavor to clear everyone's names? To stop a crime boss that is ruining lives of countless people, our peers among them?"

""I'll do it."" Two voices overlapped with perfect synchronicity. Both Makoto and Haru had a new determination in their eyes, sparked by Senpai's speech.

Sumire wasn't surprised in the least. She wondered if Senpai had realized, but recently he had started having that effect on people. In these big moments, his words became more refined, they took on a layer of polish and he exuded charisma as he met their eyes, connecting with them.

"Did he get a speech coach or something?" Muttering, Sumire couldn't repress the small flicker of warmth in her heart when she saw him like this. So powerful, so composed. It did things to a girl.

With the details confirmed the group broke up. Sumire needed to get good sleep, it was back into the metaverse tomorrow. Even as she travelled home though, she wondered briefly if she didn't already have something she was supposed to be doing that day.

* * *

_Friday June 17_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"It's finally time…"

Muttering to herself, Kasumi stood up strongly from her desk as the final bell of the day split the air. Her impromptu action drawing more than one gaze as Kasumi's action proceeded the teacher's dismissal.

Barely even noticing, Kasumi grabbed her bag and exited on the teacher's heels. Bouncing, she headed over to Sumire's classroom. They hadn't gotten a chance to talk recently but seeming as they were headed to the same place, Kasumi figured it would be fine.

Tapping her fingers, Kasumi couldn't contain her excitement that was beginning to pour out of her. It was finally here. After months of promises, it was here. The day they would go head-to-head once again.

Catching a flash of distinctive red hair exiting the room, Kasumi pounced on it. Grabbing onto her arm, Kasumi pulled.

"Ahh!"

Ignoring the startled yell, Kasumi didn't relent force. "Come on slow poke! We only have forty minutes to get there and change."

"What? Where are you dragging me, I have plans already…"

Freezing in place, Kasumi checked her sister over once to see if she was kidding. As Sumire ripped her arm away, Kasumi decided that she wasn't. "Umm… Today's _the_ day. First trials for selection to the tournament? Club only gets to send one rep... Remember?"

"Huh? What are you… wait." As comprehension clicked, Sumire's face paled. "That's _today!?"_

"Uh yeah," Kasumi nodded excitedly. "Now come on. If I remember correctly you promised to beat me."

"Oh no, this is not good… I've got to call Senpai."

Kasumi frowned at this. She had expected Sumire to show a little more excitement. Or at least make good on promise and try to win this time. Instead, it seemed like gymnastics was getting in the way of her life.

"I don't know how special this date of yours is, but don't you think you're a little obsessed? At the end of the day, he's just a boy. Don't throw away your dreams for him."

"He's not just a boy," Sumire snapped, her phone to her ear. As student's crowded in though, it would be impossible to hear anything. With them being on the third floor, Sumire stalked away up the staircase to the roof.

Unwilling to give up on Sumire, Kasumi stalked up after her. She would make the girl cancel those plans and come. Regardless of which of them won the single available spot – and it would be one of them – Kasumi crossed her arms and stared at Sumire as her phone call connected.

"Hey, Senpai? Sorry for calling you so suddenly…"

Kasumi could only watch as the boy on the other end responded.

"Yeah, I can't make it today, but please go ahead without me… Yes, sorry. Bye."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "Ready now?"

"Yes," Sumire muttered. "You don't need to be so demanding, its not like I wanted to miss this…"

"Your tone and the fact that you forgot tell a different story," Kasumi replied drily. While she was disappointed with Sumire, Kasumi hoped that she would shape up by the time they got to the club.

"Look, I get it, I should have known!" Sumire grumbled, stalking after Kasumi down the stairs, "but is it really that big of a deal? That's why I have you."

For once, Kasumi supressed her immediate reply. She really didn't want to say something that she'd regret. That happened quite a bit when talking to Sumire.

Sighing heavily, Kasumi waved a dismissive hand. "It's nothing, I just thought you'd care more."

Passing through the corridors, the sisters exited quickly onto the streets. Both of them had naturally fallen into a quick walking pace. With their identical stride lengths, it was easy to see the family resemblance.

Surprisingly, Sumire broke the silence. "Do you want to know the truth about why I couldn't remember when it was?"

"If you want to share…" Kasumi answered hesitantly. Sumire's voice was shockingly dark.

"We learnt about this tournament in the winter, yeah? Just before spring came."

"Correct…" Kasumi agreed tentatively, unsure about the conversation's direction.

"I guess that the news of this tournament was just another thing that really set me off. It was the confirmation that I was going to be relegated from losing to you… to watching you win from the sidelines."

"…" Kasumi ducked her head and stared at the ground through hooded eyes. She probably should have guessed something like this was the reason. And despite how she tried to hype herself up to compete again, it did feel weird. Not every tournament would have this restriction, and Kasumi knew the club had fought against the rule but… just hearing that didn't help.

"But that still is no excuse," Sumire sighed. "I should have been more attentive and not forgotten the date. Sorry."

"There's no need to apologize." Kasumi shook her head. Looking over at Sumire, she shot her a quick smile. "It's your life. If gymnastics is no longer something you want…"

"N-No!" Sumire rejected, quickly scattering her loose hair with a violent shake of her head. "I told you I'd beat you! T-That just starts a little earlier than I was expecting…"

"Hehe, yupp!" Kasumi answered, more pep returning to her step. It was the answer she'd been hoping to hear. "So, what were you doing with Senpai? Hopefully it wasn't too extravagant."

"T-That's private…"

"Private…?" Musing over the words, Kasumi was surprised. As far as she was aware, Sumire hadn't hidden any of the details of her private life until now. What was it she had said? Please go ahead without me?

Mind sizzling as it continued to cook up new ideas, Kasumi found herself unexpectedly stuck. There was no easy explanation here. How could Senpai proceed without Sumire? Had they joined a club together? But why not tell her?

"P-Please don't think too hard on it, Kasumi, it's nothing, seriously."

"I don't believe you," Kasumi answered honestly. "If it was nothing, you would tell me. I guess I should just be glad it wasn't a reservation at a love hotel…"

"L-Love hotel!?" Sumire squealed, her cheeks quickly becoming blazing infernos.

Staring at her embarrassed sister, Kasumi saw the opportunity for easy teasing. "But you said you weren't going, so why are you so embarrassed… Unless…" Fake gasping, Kasumi covered her mouth with her hand. "Y-You told him to continue without you… Sumi… are you part of a harem!?"

"E-EHH!?" Screeching loudly, Sumire reacted just the way Kasumi had been hoping. Bulging crimson eyes, face the colour of her hair. She was so adorable that Kasumi wanted to wrap her up and protect her forever.

"Geez, calm down, I'm kidding." Kasumi spoke nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. It wouldn't be fair to destabilize her sister any more before the competition. She wanted to beat Sumire at her best, not visibly shaking because she kept imagining doing lewd things with Senpai.

"…You're mean." Sumire pouted. "Urgh, I can't believe Makoto called you nice."

"…Makoto?" Kasumi wondered. "You mean… our student council president? When did the two of you get on first name terms?"

"Uhh…"

Biting her lip slightly, Kasumi couldn't quite figure it out. Only one way made sense, through Senpai. But when? And why? It almost made Kasumi want to consider the harem idea that she had been joking about. At least it explained what Sumire had cancelled from. But at the same time, Sumire? Really? Makoto as well? The romantically inept girl?

The questions only growing, Kasumi realized that they had arrived at their destination. It didn't belong to the club, but they rented it out on specific days so that there was a proper stage to perform on.

_I was so concerned about destabilizing Sumire and I went and did it to myself…_

Taking a deep breath, Kasumi tried to reset and focus on gymnastics. She wouldn't be able to give it her all unless she fixed her priorities immediately. Sumire seemed to sense Kasumi's intention and stayed silent as well.

Entering the building, Kasumi ignored the other girls that were arriving and beginning to stretch. Oddly, they were all almost strangers with each other. While the club provided nutritional plans, and facility time to work on muscle growth, most of their time was spent with their personal coaches. As far as Kasumi knew, very few other sports utilized a similar structure. The flat price behind personal coaches was already astronomical, driving down participation.

It meant that at this level the sport had become extremely elite. Part of which was due to how young the girls were that competed at the highest level. The age barrier was largely due to how reliant the sport was on flexibility. A trait that faded before strength, skill, or reflexes.

Entering the change room, Kasumi casually stripped before donning her dance suit. It was a beautiful combination of nude and pink that she had recently picked up. It was the same suit that she had won the last tournament in.

Just the motions of putting it on completely wiped away any indecisions or distractions. As always when she donned her suit, it felt more like battle armour than a uniform meant to enhance beauty while keeping restrictions to her movement at a minimum. The only emotion coursing through Kasumi was a fierce desire to win. Her competitive urges had been building for months now. Even if this wasn't that day that final decisions would be made, Kasumi was determined to make the most of it.

Ignoring Sumire who was still changing, Kasumi exited back into the main performing area. As she walked over to the water fountain, a ripple of noise passed through the other girls.

_Good, they are scared._ Kasumi thought, not bothering them a look. _They should be._

Smirking to herself, Kasumi wet her lips before leaning casually against the wall. Most likely, the order of performance would be dictionary order by surname. Being a Yo, Kasumi would be one of the last to compete. Sumire following immediately behind her.

It was only a couple minutes before the club manager clapped their hands and called for attention. "Everyone, attention! We will begin the routines in a couple of minutes. Performances will be staggered across the two stages. The next one will begin a minute after the one before it ends. Order of performance is located on the wall behind me. By the stairs to the two stages there are lists of the girls that are performing there. The whole production should take about half an hour. Any questions?"

Obviously, there were none. Immediately, the first girl climbed the stage and began a final warm-up, getting a couple minutes to adjust to the size and feel of the mat before time began.

She was using the ribbon, one of Kasumi's least liked props. It was hard to convey power and courage through a prop that specialized in graceful movements. It was most likely why Sumire shone with it. Kasumi hoped she would get to see her sister use it today.

Ignoring the girl who was moving slowly through her routine, doing basic leaps, tosses and rolls, Kasumi sauntered to a corner. Out of the way, she began doing light stretching. Her time was still a way out, but it was easier to stay warm than warm-up in a hurry.

"Ugh, she isn't even watching."

"Can you blame her? I mean, what's the point of this? The manager has practically stopped watching already. It isn't fair only one can qualify for the tournament."

_That mentality is why you won't be chosen._

Not responding to the voices that were in range, Kasumi got lost in her stretching. One song ended to polite clapping and then a second. On the start of the third song, Kasumi rose and went to check out the master list.

The manager nodded at her as she approached. He was a mild-mannered man in his early thirties. Kasumi didn't know how he ended up getting roped into managing a rhythmic gymnastics club. Either way, he did it well and built a reputation of success right below the professional level.

Nodding back, Kasumi checked out the list. She would be on the main stage that they had started on. Both were the same size, but the main stage was centered in the building and was easier to view from the stands. That meant Sumire would be performing on the side stage.

At the bottom, Kasumi noticed a strange message there. _Round two will done in reverse order._ So, they would be at the start next time, which was Sunday morning. They had only a day to change things up and improve. To Kasumi it felt a little pointless honestly. The only real explanation is to give any girls who drop a prop today or underperform another chance.

"What do you think about this tournament?" The manager asked in a whisper as the third routine came to an end.

Turning around, Kasumi clapped politely and stood beside the manager as the fourth got underway. "Very elite. What is it, ten athletes?"

"Twelve, they expanded it. Rather than getting another slot, they gave it to smaller clubs in the surrounding cities."

Kasumi tsked. It would be weird competing without Sumire participating. However, it would change nothing. She'd win, again and again. Kasumi couldn't imagine a different result.

"Anyone special competing?"

"You." The manager answered honestly.

Kasumi frowned at him. "I plan on earning that slot, don't gift anything to me."

"Uh, yeah, that's not…"

As the manger trailed off, Kasumi stomped away. Part of her liked to hear his confidence in her, but on the other hand, it was grating to hear that the other girls were right. That Sumire was right to not care about this farce of a competition.

Mind made up, Kasumi found a spot on the wall and began watching the routines in earnest. All the while, doing minor stretching exercise to stay limber. If one of the girls outperformed her, Kasumi would give the spot to that girl, regardless of the manager's decision. She would remind them that Kasumi did not get handouts, she took what she wanted.

Even with the rush of anger, Kasumi's concentration quickly began to slip. Many of the other girls were just a step below her. Their routines were things she would have given two, three, even four years ago. None of them had the talent to draw her eye and make her gaze stick as she got lost in the artistry on stage.

"Good luck."

"You too," Kasumi replied instinctively to her sister. She was the only one that would approach her. The others were too scared and Kasumi didn't have the motivation to try and befriend rivals.

"It's strange… but despite the competition increasing as we get older… they look beatable."

"They better," Kasumi agreed. "But I'm expecting stiff competition from you."

"Haha, I'll do my best…" Sumire replied, trailing off slightly. Her voice wasn't overly confident that she could manage such a feat, however. "I haven't had much time since returning though, I'm not even sure if I have my routine memorized…"

Wincing, Kasumi understood. The troubles this spring had derailed the build up that they should have gotten. "Same, I'll need more practice before the tournament."

"That's my line," Sumire teased.

Hearing the words, combined with the small, yet happy smile filled Kasumi with joy. It was another reminder of how much growth Sumire had done recently. She was practically a different person at this point. Rather than the bud of potential that she once was, Kasumi was seeing the petals begin to sprout.

"It's still too early for you to beat me," Kasumi decided.

"Oh yeah? And when is the right time?"

Holding a finger to her lips, Kasumi pretended to think. "Right around… the time I retire."

"Oh, stuff it,' giving Kasumi a light shove on the shoulder, the girls shared a giggle.

They were interrupted by a pair of footsteps that stopped around three metres away. Looking up at the person, Kasumi recognized the girl as a member of the club. Her face was hard with disapproval.

_Upset I didn't watch her most likely._

"You're next, _Yoshizawa-san."_

"Oh, thank you." Bowing slightly, Kasumi knew the lack of a name reflected badly upon her. But really, was it her fault? Kasumi would remember them if they ever beat her. Until then, it seemed like a waste of time trying to match a list of names to faces she barely knew.

"Break a leg,"

"You too." Winking once at Sumire, Kasumi left to grab her props. She went with the clubs. As far as she knew, she was the first one to use them today. It was also the only prop with more than one part. The hoop, ball, and ribbon all had only one to manipulate. Kasumi wouldn't say that the clubs were harder because of this, but it did mean that it was the easiest to completely screw up. It looked really bad when one of the clubs slipped form your grip and bounced across the stage by itself.

Doing a couple laps of the stage, Kasumi bounded across it once. Even as the performance on the secondary stage continued, Kasumi could feel the gazes on her. She was the one they were waiting for.

Warm-up finished, Kasumi returned to the edge and waited. In another minute, the routine finished, and the music came to a halt.

_It's time._

Closing her eyes, Kasumi took a deep breath. As her eyes flashed open, a dangerous smile plastered itself on her lips.

It was time.

Taking a step forward in time with the music, Kasumi began her routine.

* * *

_Friday June 17_ _th_ _, 20XX After school_

"Well… This sucks." Ren muttered to Morgana.

"Yeah, no kidding," the cat grumbled. "I can't believe she gave us no warning! Do you really want to go in short a member?"

"We don't have a choice." Ren decided. "Everyone else has scheduled time to go and more importantly, we need to see if the bank is accessible. If not…"

"Let's deal with that if it comes."

Ren nodded and set off to the Shibuya overpass. It was unfortunate with Sumire, but Ren understood. She was busy and had probably given them more time already than she really should have. Honestly, all of them had given too many days to changing hearts. It was important work, but it felt almost impossible to shove into a student's life. Simply attending classes and doing homework was a huge burden.

The bustling streets vanished as Ren's contemplative thoughts took him to the train station and then over to Shibuya. Arriving at the crossing, he was the last one. Even Yusuke had beaten him despite coming from farther away.

"Sorry about that. Everyone is here though."

"Uh dude, Sums is totally not here."

"Sums?" Ann questioned Ryuji's new nickname.

Ren interrupted and explained quickly. They understood, maybe with the exception of Ryuji. It seemed that him and Morgana were the two that really struggled appreciating that there were things as important as their phantom thieves' work.

Haru and Makoto had both shown up as promised. Nodding at them in appreciation, Ren took one last chance to explain. "We will be protecting you. Don't try to do anything on your own. Don't get separated from us. Beyond that, thank you."

Neither of the girls had an immediate response. Sharing a look, Ren could tell they were scared by how serious he was being. In this situation though, he couldn't help but be serious. Their lives were in extreme danger without a persona.

Ren was hoping that if they did establish a link to the bank, then the two of them could leave and return safely. Honestly, if he had time yesterday, Ren would have checked to see if he could access the bank. There was a good chance he could as one of the people Kaneshiro had blackmailed.

Unfortunately, it was unlikely to work as Kaneshiro's cognitive mind wouldn't connect the schoolboy Ren to the phantom thief Joker. They needed one of the personaless girls to serve as their link, initially at least.

"Well… let's go." Noticing the distinct lack of Sumire, the world shifted and resolved into that hellhole from last time. The sky looked poisonous, filled with green light that cast a toxic glow over the crumbling city.

Anger rising at the insatiable criminal that Joker could now put a face on, he vaulted over the walkway to the ground beneath. Standing in the crossing, he could just see the massive bank in the distance, getting closer. They would meet it on main street, see then if their sacrifices had yielded results.

"What… What is this place?" Makoto asked warily, Haru clinging to her arm.

Joker would have thought that they would have gotten a run-down while waiting. Instead, Skull dove into it now.

"Yeah, crazy, right? This is the world inside Kaneshiro's heart. That massive fucking bank over there represents his believe that he can't be touched… or something like that."

"Oh… Oh my." They followed Skull's pointing to the bank that was growing closer.

Joker could sympathize. It was impossible to fully internalize until one actually visited the metaverse. The theory could be explained, but one simply couldn't process the method of changing hearts until they experienced it.

"And these ATMs…" Haru asked, growing bolder at a fast rate. Releasing Makoto, she sauntered over to one of the broken machines. It had been discarded a long time ago by the state of decay it was in. The inner wiring was exposed by a destroyed side panel. The number pad and screen had spiderwebbed cracks through them as well.

"If this is inside Kaneshiro's mind then…"

Joker nodded to confirm Makoto's astute deduction. "These are people. Or at least how he sees them."

Haru shivered but nodded in understanding. "I felt that in his gaze. I was nothing but a source of money to him. Another ATM for him to suck money out of."

"Fret not," Fox intoned. "the vile man shall pay for his crimes. Exploiting the already poor students truly is too harsh… Why I haven't eaten either today after finding a new paintbrush that I simply had to have…"

"Dude, you really need to get your priorities straight."

"Oh, they are quite straight! The rush from creating art can satiate me for days!"

"Fox, eat." Joker scolded him. "You're no good to us falling over from starvation."

"Ah, yes… I will do my best."

Sighing, Ren raised an eyebrow at the two newcomers. "So, you really haven't noticed anything odd."

"I am not odd!" Mona protested.

"Hmm? Oh, ah! Is that a monster cat!?"

A little later than Joker had expected, but about the right reaction. The phantom thieves' hidden member.

"Oh my…" Makoto breathed. She was stunned into silence.

"Umm… Shouldn't you be killing the monster cat?" Haru asked politely.

"I am not a monster!" Mona rejected.

"No issue with the cat part though?"

"Shut up Skull!" Mona rejected. "I am not a cat!"

Joker quickly summarized for the two lost girls. How the cat that always accompanied him was in fact sentient and was their mentor for all things metaverse.

As introductions finished, Joker waved them forward as they approached the bank. The timing was just right as the massive structure hovered over the ruins of the movie theater.

Standing in front of it, the bank had no reaction to Joker's presence. Resigned to using the civilians, he waved them forward. Taking courage from each other's presence, the girls approached in unison. It seemed like their friendship had only strengthened after the incident yesterday.

With no audible noise, a panel on the Bank's closest edge lowered and a ramp began to extend. Joker didn't see how it stayed extended like that, but then again, there was no way a massive thing like the bank should be able to fly. In no time at all, the ramp touched down at the feet of the two girls, leaving no question about who Kaneshiro recognized.

"Ugh, that's a long ramp," Mona complained. "Come on, let's go!" Jumping into the air, he landed as a car. Shaking his head at the transformation, Ren slid into the driver's seat.

Smirking at the stunned women, Joker waved them in. "Come on. We got a bank to rob."

Piling into the vehicle, Joker drove them to the ramp and began to head up it. The sensation was exhilarating. The ramp was only a little wider than the vehicle itself. From either window, all Joker could see was endless sky as he kept them straight up the ramp.

"Hoooly shit." Skull muttered once they reached the top and filed out of Mona.

Before Joker could say anything further, Makoto stepped forward. "Let's go. Kaneshiro is going to see me."

As Makoto began moving already, Joker only shrugged at the thieves. The girl was determined. It was too late to say _that's not how we do things._ Right now, they needed to establish a connection.

Makoto, true to her words confronted the shadows. Surprisingly, they gave her directions to Kaneshiro. Wondering if this would actually work, the rest of them trailed after her. For once, Haru seemed reluctant to walk beside the girl.

Joker wondered what was motivating Makoto, moving her forward currently. Had something happened in her life? Was she not satisfied being student council president and preparing for college? Either way, her behaviour today was a mirror of the past few days.

Bold, brave, straightforward. _Especially_ straightforward. She found her path and charged it like a bull.

Entering a room, it looked like a standard conference room to Joker. The traditional wooden door, rectangle table with chairs situated at regular intervals. On the far wall a monitor hung that could display data of whatever thy wanted to talk about.

The last object was a briefcase of money. This time, it was completely empty. Joker understood the implication immediately. This was that they were supposed to fill. An impossible demand for everyone here except Haru.

With a burst of static, the screen came to life. Predictably, Kaneshiro's ugly mug dominated the display. Somehow, his shadow looked even worse. His skin was tinged purple and his eyes were more bulged. It wasn't pretty.

"Well, if it isn't my new, favorite customers. Come to confirm the details of our transaction?"

"Transaction?" Makoto yelled at him, you're blackmailing us!"

"That's right!" Haru agreed, stepping forward strongly. The girl was displaying a resolve that her appearance didn't suggest. "This is outrageous!"

"Hahahaha!" Laughing maniacally, Kaneshiro roared at the girls' pleading. "What don't you understand!? Everyone's money is my money! Especially stupid schoolgirls that don't know when to quit. Welcome to the real-world girls, there are real consequences to being stupid now, not just an F on a test."

"Consequences?" Haru muttered. "But my father…"

"Sae…"

The sheer depravity and passion from Kansehiro's shadow was overpowering the girls. Taking a step forward, Joker drew the attention unto himself. "You aren't getting a cent from these girls. We're going to stop you Kaneshiro."

"That's right!" The rest of the thieves stepped up behind him in solidarity.

Kaneshiro tsked angrily. "Ha! My resources are infinite. I have a limitless number of guards at my beck and call. You thieves will die and the girls will become my personal slaves."

The monitor shut off. At the same time an alarm bell rang briefly through the front of the bank. Clicking his tongue in anger, Joker whirled to the door. Already, two shadows were there to block their path.

"Stay behind us and stay close. We are breaking out!"

"Hell yeah!" Skull whooped. Without waiting for orders, he brought his club down upon the first security guard, revealing the true form beneath.

The formless blob of black energy writhed and expanded. Before long, it dwarfed Skull by more than a metre. It resolved into the form of a demon, an oni. The monster had bright red skin, a wied tallow mohawk, and a wicked looking halberd-like weapon held easily in its massive hands.

The second security guard as well turned into an identical beast. Their large forms easily blocked any way out. What's more, based on how Skull's mace did nearly nothing despite connecting with its face, these things weren't going to go down easy.

"Skull, Fox get in these things faces, don't let them approach the girls. Panther, Mona, and I will begin searching for weaknesses. Violet…" Cursing to himself Joker cut off his words. Violet wasn't here.

The girls would have to fend for themselves. Calling forth his persona in tandem with Panther, they layered the demons with ice and fire. Neither attack struck an obvious weak spot, but the culminative barrage chipped off a major portion of their stamina.

Angry at the onslaught, they replied. In the tight confines of the room, they rampaged with their weapons. Whirling them in circles, the sharp metal cut through the thieves. Joker felt at least three separate attacks dig into him. Each one powered by unbelievable strength.

These guys were no slouches. The only consolation was that nothing had hit the terrified girls so far. As the rampage died down, Joker let out another order.

"Just bombard them with magic!"

"Got it!"

Five separate magic attacks later, the guards crumbled into nothingness. The damage they had dealt was impressive. One round of healing later and they were out.

Darting ahead, Joker led them quickly back to the main exit. Past the teller booths and then between the strange pews. Joker would be the first to admit, he didn't spend a lot of time in banks, but what the hell was the point of these things?

Of course that's when more shadows showed up. Slamming the doors shut, they blocked their path out. Before Joker even reached them, they resolved into another pair of the demons from before. At this rate, these enemies were growing to grow old really fast.

"We don't have time, blast them!"

The strategy was most likely suboptimal, but there were few options. Speed was of the essence here. The girls would die to a single hit, they had to be protected at all costs.

Enduring the barrage of magic, each demon was hanging onto its essence by a sliver. A stiff breeze would send these fragments back to the sea of souls that they were called from. Their impressive strength must be directly connected to the confidence that Kaneshiro had in his goons to enforce his policies.

"Graah!" Howling madly, they began tossing about with their weapons. In the more open chamber, Joker didn't have to stand still and endure the blows. Ducking under the first slash, he rolled behind one of the conveniently placed pews. A second vertical slash dug deeply into the wood but it held strong, saving Joker from the hit.

Mona as well had managed to duck and avoid taking any damage. Once again, however, Skull and Fox had lost a large chunk of their stamina due to the endless onslaught these demons put out. At least Panther behind them didn't get hit.

Standing up, Joker contemptuously ripped off his mask and froze the demons solid. A calm moment later they shattered into thousands of pieces, each one melting into a puddle in the floor.

"We're clear, let's get out of here."

"Ha! Not so fast."

_Why did I say anything?_

Rolling his eyes, Joker turned around to stare down Kaneshiro who was approaching with guards in tow.

The monitor's picture had been accurate. The shadow – for some reason – had purple skin. Even the expensive white suit that he wore couldn't fix his appearance.

"You!" Makoto yelled accusatorily. Despite having been thrown into a world of magic, the sight of the man she hated had revived her drive.

"Yeah, you won't get my father's money!" Haru followed up.

Their demonstration of courage was impressive. Foolish, but impressive nonetheless.

"Ha!" The shadow laughed, not unnerved at the least. "This is my bank! I rule here. No one, not even one of the chosen's daughters can enter and leave without paying!"

Haru's fist tightened. Taking another step forward, she waved her arm back towards the thieves. "Fine, but let the other's go, they have no part of this."

"Didn't I just say?" The shadow mocked her, "no one can leave without my permission and I'm not in a forgiving mood right now. These thieves will pay with their lives."

"Urgh…" Haru recoiled a step.

Makoto stepped forth and took her spot. "You're pathetic, you know that!? Taking money from students, exploiting everyone. Do you have no decency!?"

"Decency? This is why I hate children," Kaneshiro spat, shaking his head in disgust. "This world doesn't operate on morals; it functions off of money. The person with the money makes the rules. If you are poor, you'll be beaten and ridiculed, laughed at and called stupid. Only the smart have the means to rise up! So, I rose by exploiting the idiot children! Now I'm on top of the world!"

"T-That's ridiculous!" Makoto rejected him.

"Is it!? Then ask that girl there why she was no answer. She knows the truth of this. Her father has made millions based solely off exploiting the working class. Students so desperate for money they'll work stupid hours for a breadcrumb."

Everyone's gazes naturally migrated to Haru. She crossed her arms and looked away, saying nothing. She didn't need to. The pained expression and reluctance were enough to verify Kaneshiro's claims.

"See? Maybe you should deal with old man Okumura before his ego reaches even greater heights!"

"My father… will be dealt with." Haru declared suddenly. Unfolding her arms, she pointed a finger at the ruler of the palace. "However! His sins don't justify yours. I'm bringing you down, Kaneshiro!"

"Well said Haru," Makoto laid a hand on Haru's shaking shoulder before glaring at Kaneshiro as well. "You will never have my sister!"

"Bah! Useless girls! Guards, kill them all!"

Expecting this, Joker was already right behind them. Grabbing them around the waist with one arm each, he leapt backwards. Grunting from the excessive weight of carrying two people, Joker stumbled upon landing. The created gap allowed Skull to rush forward and meet the oncoming shadows.

Unlike last time, there were three now. Two of the demons from before and a third different one. Standing just about the same size, rather than a mohawk, it had long black hair framing its demonic face. The pink skin was stretched and distorted into a skull-like visage. It wielded one of the strange weapons with incredible ease. One side was long and double bladed with a curved backend for follow up slashes.

"Run! Out the door!" Joker advised. For now at least, their path out wasn't blocked by anything other than the closed door. While the two demons were beatable, the trio surely wielded incredible power.

"Eat this!" Starting the fight off, Skull unleashed a blast of lightning across them. The bolts taking mild damage of the two Oni but the newcomer barely flinched. It clearly resisted the blow from the bolts.

"Panther, can you put one to sleep? We can't take all three. Fox, test this things resistance to physical damage. Mona, fall back and focus on healing."

"On it, Joker."

Lowering his waist, Fox's body rippled with tension before he exploded forward. His katana leapt from his sheath as little more than a streak of light before slicing into the new foe and returning.

"Grooah! All money and power to Kaneshiro!"

It got hurt. Smirking, Joker had a plan. Alone the one in the middle could be dealt this. Watching interested, Joker's eyes tracked Ann's persona Carmen as it used a specialized attack to lull one of the demons to sleep. Thankfully, the ability worked. The raging demon taking a nap.

The downside of such a powerful ability was that Joker could see the vitality taken from Skull's blow already beginning to repair itself.

Darting to the side, Joker focused on the second of the two onis. The large monster smiling its horrible grin down at him. Before he could second guess his decision, Joker summoned forth Onmoraki. Releasing a set of three swirling purple lights, the persona's ability passed into the demon's body without inflicting damage. However, the result was as Joker hoped. The focus in its eyes had disappeared.

Turning away from Joker, the confused beast looked at the back of its ally, the weapon in its hand, and then attacked. A single slash rather than a full-on ability, but the damage was done.

Forced to turn to look at its ally, the new shadow was completely vulnerable to the barrage of magic. Focusing solely on it to avoid waking the sleeping shadow, fire and wind washed over it, bringing its stamina to a miniscule amount.

"Good job!" Joker called out. Preparing to dodge, Joker readied himself for the shadow's ability. Anger shining brightly, it twirled its staff and jammed it into the ground. From the area of contact a wall of cold air rushed out followed by balls of ice.

Raising an arm to cover his face, Joker heard Panther's cry as the ice slipped through her persona's aura and dealt massive damage to her remaining stamina. Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Joker was just glad that they hadn't tried an ice attack on it.

"Skull, Fox, physical attacks to finish it off!"

"On it! HYARGH!" Letting out dual cries, the boys stepped up and dismantled the shadow. Skull's giant horizontal swing crippled the shadow's left knee. As it fell, another lightning slash from Fox split the exposed neck. As the shadow dissolved into energy, Joker knew the fight was over.

Taking a moment, he glanced over his shoulder at where the girls should have fled. Both of them were running quickly back toward him. Two more security guards were approaching form the back of the pews. They should have time to make it out, meaning the doors were locked.

Tsking, Joker knew their time was running out. "Everyone, concentrated blast on the remaining shadows!" Feeling his own mental resources starting to strain, Joker knew that Skull in particular would be almost out. He was built for brawling, not magic.

Thankfully, the confused demon decided to continue its onslaught and smack the sleeping one upside the jaw. It spiraled to the floor, dazed from the critical hit.

With both injured, the magical attacks tore away all remaining stamina that the beasts possessed.

"Good, let's hurry and…"

"And what?" Kaneshiro mocked. "My resources are infinite. My men are infinite. This is your last chance girls. Abandon them and come make money for me!"

More shadows had arrived to reinforce Kaneshiro. That wasn't even including the ones that had arrived to guard the door. They were thoroughly trapped at this point.

With the offer extended, Joker felt the hand squeezing in around them. For the first time that day, he felt genuine fear that this would be the end.

* * *

_Friday June 17_ _th_ _20XX Afterschool_

"Ah…"

_She's as amazing as always…_

Sumire couldn't help but feel some of that old hopelessness assault her as she watched Kasumi perform.

It was gripping. The dance was pure artistry in motion. Every person in the building had their eyes fixed upon her as she moved.

The rolls, throws, and moves were simply on a different level than the girls that had gone before her. This was a routine that one could perform on the world stage and get decent marks for. _This_ was Yoshizawa Kasumi the gymnastics prodigy.

_You've been practicing hard…_

A surge of guilt assaulted Sumire as she stood alone on the sub stage, off to the side. Waiting for her turn, ribbon in hand. It was the routine she was most comfortable with, one she wouldn't screw up despite lack of practice. Unfortunately, there was no way to beat Kasumi's mindless dedication and effort with just not screwing up. She would have to be perfect, and Sumire knew she wouldn't be.

Too much time had been lost in the metaverse. Sumire's practice levels had reached an all time low. Most of what she did do was stretching and mild fitness routines to maintain her strength and flexibility.

"Urgh… Oh well. Just one routine… Then I can focus on helping the thieves dealing with Kaneshiro before prepping for the next tournament."

Yes, that's right. It would be good to not be chosen. Sumire _didn't want_ to be chosen. That would only derail the more important work she was doing in the metaverse. Stopping the crime boss from exploiting countless people was her top priority.

Kasumi on the far stage tossed both clubs high into the air. Rolling forward once then twice, she stood gracefully, head back, one leg raised and both arms extended as the clubs fell neatly into them.

Exquisite.

Perfect.

The kind of routine Sumire had once dreamed of giving.

The guilt within her had burned away in flames of an unfamiliar emotion. Sumire barely recognized it as the room exploded into applause. Even the girls that shunned Kasumi couldn't help but cheer when witnessing their sport performed at the highest level. It was a love that connected all of them.

"…I want to beat her."

Breathing deeply, Sumire entered her starting pose. Her eyes tracked Kasumi who quickly hopped off the stage and approached the sub stage. Standing only a dozen metres away, she cocked her head, the intention conveyed directly to Sumire. _Well, can you compete?_

_You bet I can!_ It was like Kasumi's challenge was the gong that switched the focus to Sumire. The music started up as the people in attendance faced her. Technically, every girl that had finished performing could leave, but none of them had so far. They wanted to witness the sibling rivalry. The pinnacle of what everyone here was trying to achieve.

Taking her first step, Sumire felt the familiar sensations rush back to her. There was no grand crowd, no parents anxiously cheering on their children. No judges giving her an official rating. There was only one person that she had to impress, the manager.

Transitioning into a jump split, Sumire landed into a roll and came up with the ribbon circling her body.

_Sloppy._

The waves in the circling fabric were uneven.

Ignoring it, she moved into the next part of the routine. Rolling again, Sumire came up with her left leg curled up and touching the back of her head. At the same time, she was manipulating the ribbon into complicated patterns.

From there, the routine shifted into a series of jumps and toe walks. Moving in time to the music, Sumire's routine was catered to her talents. Movements and graceful body motions rather than the bold leaps and dramatic throws that Kasumi specialized in.

Twirling and moving, Sumire finally remembered why she was competing. It wasn't simply to beat Kasumi. It was because she loved the sport. Ever since she was dragged along to keep Kasumi company when she had signed up for gymnastics.

Smiling widely, Sumire lost herself in the routine. The twirls, the leaps, the rolls. Each moment needed to be perfectly timed and took extreme concentration. If her body was out of sync for even a moment, an obvious error would occur.

It was a struggle on a scale that the average person couldn't understand. Burning muscles, precise timings, miniscule manipulations of the prop, all done with a smile.

Covered with a soft sheen of sweat, Sumire had only half a second of rest before the final move of her routine. Like Kasumi's it was also the hardest movement of the routine.

Right leg lifting behind her head, Sumire bounded off her left, pushing her body into a circle in the air and landing on her right foot, switching her left behind her and repeating. At the same time, the ribbon made soft circles beside her, complimenting the circling motions of her torso.

_One left!_

Concentration slipping, Sumire felt the end approaching. Trying to land on her right leg, Sumire's balance shifted by just a millimetre. The smallest change in her centre of gravity causing a minor disturbance. Stabilizing, Sumire knew the damage was done. Her ribbon's movements had been disrupted.

Lifting her arms into the air, Sumire finished the routine with a smile. It felt forced as her heart dropped slightly. She'd lost. That much was clear. Even without that mistake it wouldn't have been a clear victory. Kasumi was too good for that.

Sighing, Sumire waited for that wave of disappointment to hit. The familiar sensation of knowing that she wouldn't ever beat Kasumi. But even as she descended off the stage to a round of clapping, slightly more muted than Kasumi's it didn't come.

"Wow, you were awesome out there!" Kasumi congratulated her, wrapping Sumire in a tight hug.

"Uff!" Getting her remaining breath knocked out, Sumire gave her sister a strange look. "What do you mean? I lost."

"Yeah, I guess that slight stumble at the end would have cost you too many points…" Kasumi agreed, with a strange reluctance. "But besides that, I think that was the best routine I've seen you do."

"Of course…" _it wasn't…_ Trailing off, Sumire tried to think. Had that been her best? Surely she'd performed better at the major tournament at the end of last year that Kasumi had won. "B-But either way, I still couldn't beat you. You really are something else."

"It helps having good competition," Kasumi winked. "I'm going to do even better Sunday, so you better show up as well!"

"Of course I will! I had fun today."

"…Really?"

Sumire took a step back from the piercing look in Kasumi's eyes. "Y-Yeah. Competing again was fun… Even if it wasn't a real tournament."

Kasumi's serious face remained for a second. Sumire felt the penetrating gaze searching her answer. After a moment though, it morphed into a giant smile. She even wiped at her eye. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that."

Sumire realized that she was on the verge of tears as well. This was something that she had forgotten. That winning and losing weren't everything. They were here to have fun while competing in a sport they both loved.

Wrapping Kasumi into another hug, Sumire whispered into her ear. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Never." Kasumi replied. "Anyway, want to go grab some food, I think we earned it."

"Agreed," Sumire smiled back. "Next time I'll have more practice and not make so many mistakes."

"I look forward to it!" Kasumi grinned back. "But you better watch out, because I'm going to keep improving as well!"

Sharing a sweaty smile, the sisters left to go change.

* * *

_Friday June 17_ _th_ _20XX Afterschool_

"Shit dude! What's the play here?"

To Skull's comment, Joker could only shake his head. They were down a member and had two vulnerable people that needed protection. There simply wasn't a move that would get them all out. The door was locked and would need a persona user to break open.

Joker prepared himself to speak his decision. If he held off the shadows approaching from the front, then everyone else could break through the rear and exit the palace. It would lead to his death most likely, but that was a risk Joker was willing to take.

"Skull, Fox clear a route to the exit. Panther, blow the door open, Mona, protect them."

"Joker…?"

Of course they noticed his absence from the plan. They were all smart enough to realize that a retreat would not work without a rear guard.

Smirking at them, Joker flourished his knife in a show of false confidence. "I'll be fine. Go."

"This is… This is my fault, isn't it?" Makoto asked as the group continued to waver. "You could escape without me. I _am_ useless to you."

"Haha, but you aren't useless to me!" Kaneshiro laughed. "You'll make me a bunch of money! It doesn't matter if you're a stupid schoolgirl. With a body like that, the cash will flow!"

"Urgh…"

"That isn't true Mako-chan!" Haru spoke up, grabbing the girl's hand. "You really helped me understand the schoolwork. You're super smart and brilliant! Don't give up!"

"Haru is right," Joker agreed shooting the girl a sharp look. Catching her gaze, Joker held her red eyes and did not waver. "The ability to be useful is always with you. Both of you."

"…"

The room seemed frozen in time in the wake of Joker's words. Growing slightly self-conscious, he glanced back and forth between the two girls that were staring at him.

"Fools! The only thing you are useful for is to fund my wealth! Now submit to me!"

"Never…" Makoto growled, her voice low. As she glanced at Kaneshiro, her eyes were glowing with anger. "Shut up already! I've listened to you harp on and on. Enough!"

As energy began to swirl around the girl, Joker smirked. This is what he had been hoping for. If the two girls, or even one changed from bystander to persona-user, the whole dynamic of the situation would change.

"W-What is this?" Shadow Kaneshiro recoiled from the scene.

"I've been polite so far, but no longer! From now on, I'm going all out! Come, Johanna!"

"M-Minions! Protect me!"

Smirking, Joker joined the fray willingly as Makoto's persona emerged as… Stumbling slightly, Joker forgot about the approaching enemies as he watched Makoto rush into the fray. She was riding a motorcycle…

"Is that her persona?"

"Nah, dude, it's a bike!"

Joker agreed with Mona and Skull. This was truly bizarre, but now they were trapped in the middle of five enemies. Three approaching from the front and two behind. This was a new situation for all of them.

"Don't force it!" Joker called out to Makoto but had a feeling it would be pointless. Her inner nature was reminiscent of Skull. She was straightforward to a fault and appeared to fight the same way. Her phantom suit had materialized as some sort of biker suit covered with metal spikes. She didn't even receive a weapon besides her fists that were lined with smaller spikes.

"Gragh!" Jumping off the bike, Makoto punched the first shadow full in the face. With the power of the awakening still coursing through her, it ripped the entire things essence apart.

As impressive as it was, she landed fully exposed to the two remaining enemies, her energy dipping back down to standard levels.

"Ugh." Switching to a person physically resistant to attacks, Joker darted in front of Makoto and ate the twinned attacks that were aimed at her head.

"I didn't need your help," she replied angrily, caught up in the battle fever.

"And I don't need your attitude." Joker snapped back. "Reach inside yourself and call forth your persona's abilities. Do you have one that does damage?"

"Huh?" Even in the midst of her confusion, her body began moving. This happened with every persona-user. Even seconds after awakening, the persona informed the user of their capabilities. "Here I go!"

Joker had to jump back to not get caught in the orbs of energy. It was an attack that he'd been hit with, but not one he'd ever received access to. Dying to figure out exactly what the hell it was, Joker knew it would have to wait for another time.

"Everyone, follow up her attack!" Blasting the two demon monsters, only a wave of wind added onto the attacks. The others were still fighting the back enemies.

"Dodge!" Joker called as the enemies moved again. Pushing through the damage, they began to rampage in the surrounding area. Just leaning out of one strike, Joker rolled into the benches to avoid a second hit. But the third still caught him in the shoulder. Not resisting the damage anymore, Joker felt a portion of his energy wash away.

Makoto on the other hand, simply raised her fists like a boxer and absorbed the blows with a wince. Joker rolled his eyes at the display of toughness. She could have at least tried dodging.

"Finish them off now!" Joker called and Makoto had no problem obeying. Based on her harried expression, Joker estimated that her physical prowess was slightly less than Skull's, but her magic and speed were higher.

As the two shadows dissolved, the fight was brought to an end. Still, Kaneshiro's face only twitched with displeasure. At some point, additional reinforcements had shown up.

"We need to leave," Joker called. "Makoto can you…"

"On it!" Cutting him off, Makoto was already primed on her Persona's back and pointing toward the door.

"Mona!"

"G-Got it!" Jumping into the air, the cat transformed into a car.

Having a few seconds before they took off, Joker looked for Haru. Upon seeing her, Joker actually stopped moving. "W-What? You awakened!?"

"Umm… Maybe?"

"If she did, her persona's a hell of a lot weaker than ours!" Skull informed Joker harshly.

Shaking his head to dispel the surprise, Joker hopped into the driver's seat and revved the engine as the others piled in, Haru grabbing shotgun. To Joker's surprise, her eyes were lit with a strange light and her mouth had an odd smile. It was actually pretty terrifying if Joker was being honest.

"Oh, this is so much fun!" Haru declared. "Can we run some of the shadows over on the way out!?"

"Uhh…" Usure how to respond, Joker contented himself to driving. Either way, as Makoto popped a wheelie and slammed down the front door of the bank, they were out. As the cat car left the bank, Joker let himself relax slightly. Pursuing the motorbike down the ramp and out of the palace, they were free.

Crashing back into real life suddenly, Joker didn't realize their mistake until it was too late. Suspended in midair, their support vanished.

"Oof!" Landing solidly on his backside, Ren rubbed it as they were dumped unceremoniously back into Shibuya. A crowd of people swirling around them, barely noticing the oddity that had occurred. "Really got to find a better place to enter from…"

Muttering to himself, Ren stood up and surveyed the rest of the party. No one appeared overly injured. Makoto was in front of them and picking herself up of the ground. Her face was red from planting into it at high velocity, but the main injury was to her pride no doubt.

The only one was missing was… "Morgana?"

"…Here."

Following the weak voice, Ren found the flattened feline. He had obviously been crushed by the others in the vehicle. Currently though as Ann sat on him, Ren knew he wasn't too upset with the situation.

"Well, everyone made it out."

"Oh yes!" Haru agreed. "When do we return?"

"Umm…" The ominous aura in the words forced Ren to resort to rubbing his head. This was a scary girl.

"We go back in when he says so," Morgana informed Haru, peeling himself off the pavement. "Until then, we should probably figure out why your persona didn't fully manifest."

Ren nodded at that. He had a couple ideas, but now wasn't the time to dive into them. The day had been short but extremely stressful. There were other things Ren wanted to do today.

Calling a brief meeting, Ren quickly added Haru and Makoto to the group chat. Both girls were pretty eager to join and take down Kaneshiro. Makoto's power was certainly a boon, even if the girl was a tad reckless.

Smiling at the group, Ren only had one last line for them. "Well, welcome to the phantom thieves. I look forward to working with everyone. Also, don't worry. We will take Kaneshiro down. He won't get away with this."

"I know he won't," Makoto agreed, voice hard.

Group splitting, they began to head separate directions, never noticing the figure leaning against the railing on the overpass watching with a small smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS:  
> I don't really feel bad about having Haru steal a bit of Makoto's spotlight in this palace since she gets like one and a half in the game compared to Haru's half. Also, I don't really see Makoto as a strategist, but maybe that's just me.
> 
> PPS:  
> Morgana can't move on his own in car form, therefore, Haru is the one trying to run you over... Scary.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, thank you for reading to the end.
> 
> I'm not sure how much time I'll be allocating to writing this story. As such, updates may be extremely frequent to very rare. Either way, I hope that you have gotten some enjoyment from the chapter.


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